Crap Towns / Colchester / Deliberate fires

How many fires get started on purpose in Colchester?

There were 4.3 deliberate fires per 10,000 people a year in Colchester from April 2023 to March 2026, 25% lower than the typical town's 5.7. The most common were grass, woods and crops set on fire, at 1.6. In 2025/26 it was 5.3, up from 3.4 in 2023/24.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical town
2023/24	3.4	5.2
2024/25	4.1	5.4
2025/26	5.3	6.4

**What was set alight**
Fire	Here	Typical town
Grass, woods and crops set on fire	1.6	1.7
Bins and rubbish set on fire	1.4	1.9
Other outdoor fires	1.3	1.5

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Fires per 10,000 people a year
Jaywick	19.1 km	13.1
Clacton-on-Sea	19.6 km	12.7
Berechurch	3.3 km	6.7
Sudbury	20.0 km	6.2
Colchester	–	4.3
Brightlingsea	12.2 km	1.9
Hadleigh	17.6 km	1.9
Tiptree	14.1 km	1.8
Halstead	19.3 km	1.7
West Mersea	12.7 km	1.4
Wivenhoe	5.2 km	0.6
The typical town	–	5.7