England And Lancashire Fire Rescue Statistics

Requested by Steve Healey, Deputy Chief Fire Officer.
Produced 30^th October 2025.

Data Period: 1^st July 2015 to 30^th June 2025.

Introduction

Summary and comparison of the fire and rescue incident statistics published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). This is based on a rolling 12-month period to the year ending June 2025.

Fire and rescue incident statistics, year ending June 2025 - GOV.UK

Key Results

· Lancashire attended 18,114 incidents in the year ending June 2025, an increase of 7.1% compared to the previous year’s 16,910. There was also a small 1.2% increase over 5 years but a substantial 33.8% increase on 10 years ago. These compare to the increases reported for the totals for England of 5.7% over 1 year, 14.2% over 5 years, and 25.0% over 10.

· Fires in Lancashire account for 30.4% of attended incidents, with the average for England being 26.4%. False alarms account for 40.3% compared to 39.8% in England, and non-fire incidents 29.2% in Lancashire, against England’s 33.8%.

· Ten years ago, Lancashire fires accounted for 37.1% against England’s 32.2%, false alarms 44.7% compared to 42.6% in England, and non-fire 18.2% in Lancashire and 25% in England.

Total Incidents

Over the past decade, the number of incidents attended by Lancashire has been on a gradual increasing trend. In the year ending June 2015 there were around 13,500 incidents, which reached 18,100 by the year ending June 2025.

Over recent years, there has been an increase in non-fire incidents and a decrease in false alarms and fires, however, the 2025 dry summer period saw an increase in secondary fires in Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) and England.

Activity by type. Year ending June 2015 to year ending June 2025.

Lancashire:

England:

The proportion that each incident type makes up of the total is a similar picture to that seen across England as a whole except for non-fire incidents in England which increased to a larger proportion of overall activity after the Covid pandemic in 2020.

Percentage of activity by type. Year ending June 2015 to year ending June 2025.

Lancashire:

England:

Fires

Overall, LFRS attended 5,515 fires, an increase of 33.6% against the previous year, and by 9.8% over ten years. England increased by 27.8% and 2.3% respectively.

There were 1,848 primary fires, an increase of 2.7% compared with the previous year (1,799), but a decrease of 13.5% compared with 10 years ago (2,137). England recorded a 7.0% one year increase, and a 9.7% 10 year decrease.

LFRS recorded 3,610 secondary fires which is a 58.9% increase on the previous year, and a 30.3% increase over ten years. England increased 48.0% and 16.6%

Fire incidents attended. Year ending June 2015 to year ending June 2025.

Lancashire:

England:

False Alarms

Lancashire’s have decreased notably over the past two years, reducing from a high of 8,774 in the year ending June 2023 to 7,308 in 2025. This is still a larger number than the 6,045 recorded ten years ago but false alarms now account for a smaller percentage of overall activity at 40.03% against 44.7% ten years ago.

However, With the exception of a dip due to the Covid pandemic in the period ending June 2021, and the most recent year ending June 2025 recording a slightly lower number than the preceding year, false alarms have been on a gradual year on year increase in England,

Lancashire:

England:

Non-Fire

Non-fire incidents have continued to increase over the years, with the latest year recording an 18.8% increase to 5,291 from the 4,452 five years ago, and a 114.2% increase from 2,470 recorded ten years ago.

Overall, England recorded a five year increase of 30.9% and ten year increase of 67.7%.

Lancashire:

England: