Crap Towns / Southend-on-Sea / Deliberate fires

How many fires get started on purpose in Southend-on-Sea?

There were 3.1 deliberate fires per 10,000 people a year in Southend-on-Sea from April 2023 to March 2026, 46% lower than the typical town's 5.7. The most common were other outdoor fires, at 1.3. In 2025/26 it was 2.9, down from 3.4 in 2023/24.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical town
2023/24	3.4	5.2
2024/25	2.9	5.4
2025/26	2.9	6.4

**What was set alight**
Fire	Here	Typical town
Other outdoor fires	1.3	1.5
Grass, woods and crops set on fire	1.0	1.7
Bins and rubbish set on fire	0.7	1.9

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Fires per 10,000 people a year
Canvey Island	9.1 km	8.7
Rochford	3.5 km	6.0
Thundersley and South Benfleet	8.6 km	4.3
Hockley and Hawkwell	6.2 km	3.5
Rayleigh	8.1 km	3.1
Southend-on-Sea	–	3.1
Great Wakering	7.2 km	2.6
South Woodham Ferrers	11.6 km	2.1
Burnham-on-Crouch	11.9 km	1.3
Ashingdon	6.1 km	0.8
Hullbridge	9.3 km	0.5
The typical town	–	5.7