Crap Towns / Braintree / Deliberate fires

How many fires get started on purpose in Braintree?

There were 3.4 deliberate fires per 10,000 people a year in Braintree from April 2023 to March 2026, 40% lower than the typical town's 5.7. The most common were other outdoor fires, at 1.5. In 2025/26 it was 4.5, up from 3.1 in 2023/24.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical town
2023/24	3.1	5.2
2024/25	2.7	5.4
2025/26	4.5	6.4

**What was set alight**
Fire	Here	Typical town
Other outdoor fires	1.5	1.5
Bins and rubbish set on fire	1.4	1.9
Grass, woods and crops set on fire	0.5	1.7

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Fires per 10,000 people a year
Great Dunmow	13.8 km	5.6
Witham	10.3 km	4.4
Braintree	–	3.4
Danbury	18.2 km	3.2
Takeley and Little Canfield	19.4 km	3.1
Maldon	19.0 km	2.3
Tiptree	15.2 km	1.8
Halstead	8.9 km	1.7
Chelmsford	16.7 km	1.6
Galleywood	21.3 km	1.0
Great Notley	3.0 km	0.7
The typical town	–	5.7