Crap Towns / Maidstone / Deliberate fires

How many fires get started on purpose in Maidstone?

There were 5.2 deliberate fires per 10,000 people a year in Maidstone from April 2023 to March 2026, 9% lower than the typical town's 5.7. The most common were bins and rubbish set on fire, at 2.7. In 2025/26 it was 3.9, down from 6.8 in 2023/24.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical town
2023/24	6.8	5.2
2024/25	4.9	5.4
2025/26	3.9	6.4

**What was set alight**
Fire	Here	Typical town
Bins and rubbish set on fire	2.7	1.9
Grass, woods and crops set on fire	1.7	1.7
Other outdoor fires	0.8	1.5

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Fires per 10,000 people a year
Chatham	10.2 km	16.5
Gillingham	11.2 km	7.3
Snodland	8.6 km	6.8
Kings Hill	7.7 km	6.5
Larkfield	6.1 km	5.6
Maidstone	–	5.2
Rochester	13.8 km	4.4
Coxheath	4.0 km	4.3
Paddock Wood	13.6 km	2.2
Staplehurst	11.6 km	0.9
Bearsted	3.7 km	0.4
The typical town	–	5.7