Crap Towns / Wells / Deliberate fires

How many fires get started on purpose in Wells?

There were 4.9 deliberate fires per 10,000 people a year in Wells from April 2023 to March 2026, 14% lower than the typical town's 5.7. The most common were grass, woods and crops set on fire, at 2.6. In 2025/26 it was 9.1, up from 2.0 in 2023/24.

**Over time**
Period	Here	Typical town
2023/24	2.0	5.2
2024/25	3.5	5.4
2025/26	9.1	6.4

**What was set alight**
Fire	Here	Typical town
Grass, woods and crops set on fire	2.6	1.7
Bins and rubbish set on fire	1.4	1.9
Other outdoor fires	0.8	1.5

**Nearby towns**
Town	Distance	Fires per 10,000 people a year
Glastonbury	7.8 km	8.6
Radstock	16.7 km	7.7
Highbridge	22.3 km	6.4
Wells	–	4.9
Paulton	15.2 km	4.6
Midsomer Norton	14.5 km	4.3
Shepton Mallet	7.8 km	4.1
Cheddar	11.6 km	3.3
Somerton	18.3 km	2.9
Street	11.3 km	2.4
Peasedown St John	19.7 km	1.0
The typical town	–	5.7