Crap Towns / Gateshead / Deliberate fires

How many fires get started on purpose in Gateshead?

There were 34.7 deliberate fires per 10,000 people a year in Gateshead from April 2023 to March 2026, 6.1 times the typical town's 5.7. The most common were bins and rubbish set on fire, at 23.9. In 2025/26 it was 39.9, up from 33.0 in 2023/24.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical town
2023/24	33.0	5.2
2024/25	31.2	5.4
2025/26	39.9	6.4

**What was set alight**
Fire	Here	Typical town
Bins and rubbish set on fire	23.9	1.9
Grass, woods and crops set on fire	8.6	1.7
Other outdoor fires	2.3	1.5

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Fires per 10,000 people a year
Jarrow	7.3 km	59.4
Boldon Colliery	7.6 km	57.6
Blaydon	8.3 km	51.7
Washington	5.7 km	39.8
Hebburn	5.7 km	36.2
Newcastle upon Tyne	7.6 km	34.9
Gateshead	–	34.7
Pelton and Ouston	7.1 km	30.0
Birtley	4.6 km	28.6
Wallsend	7.8 km	26.8
Whickham	6.5 km	22.4
The typical town	–	5.7