Crap Towns / Prestonpans / Deliberate fires

How many fires get started on purpose in Prestonpans?

There were 14.8 deliberate fires per 10,000 people a year in Prestonpans from April 2023 to March 2026, 34% lower than the typical Scottish town's 22.3. The most common were grass, woods and crops set on fire, at 6.9. In 2025/26 it was 9.4, down from 22.6 in 2023/24.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical Scottish town
2023/24	22.6	22.6
2024/25	12.2	20.4
2025/26	9.4	19.0

**What was set alight**
Fire	Here	Typical Scottish town
Grass, woods and crops set on fire	6.9	6.2
Other outdoor fires	4.1	5.0
Bins and rubbish set on fire	3.8	8.2

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Fires per 10,000 people a year
Mayfield	10.7 km	30.2
Cockenzie	2.8 km	24.2
Musselburgh	4.8 km	23.8
Gorebridge	13.1 km	23.6
Edinburgh	14.9 km	18.8
Dalkeith	8.8 km	18.6
Bonnyrigg	12.2 km	16.3
Prestonpans	–	14.8
Loanhead	13.9 km	13.5
Tranent	2.3 km	11.7
Haddington	12.2 km	7.6
The typical Scottish town	–	22.3