Crap Towns / Potters Bar / Deliberate fires

How many fires get started on purpose in Potters Bar?

There were 4.5 deliberate fires per 10,000 people a year in Potters Bar from April 2023 to March 2026, 21% lower than the typical town's 5.7. The most common were bins and rubbish set on fire, at 1.6. In 2025/26 it was 7.2, up from 3.3 in 2023/24.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical town
2023/24	3.3	5.2
2024/25	2.9	5.4
2025/26	7.2	6.4

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

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Fires per 10,000 people a year
Waltham Cross	10.8 km	13.8
Welwyn Garden City	11.6 km	6.8
St Albans	11.3 km	5.7
Borehamwood	7.7 km	5.2
Potters Bar	–	4.5
Cheshunt	9.7 km	4.4
London Colney	8.0 km	4.3
Hatfield	8.1 km	3.6
Radlett	9.5 km	2.4
Enfield	8.5 km	1.4
Barnet	9.3 km	1.3
The typical town	–	5.7