Crack down on arsonists

As recent events in the south of France have shown, in dry conditions a blaze can spread with devastating and tragic results.

North Yorkshire is never going to be as dry as southern France, unless global warming really takes hold. Yet intentionally started fires can still be highly dangerous, especially during a heatwave. In tinder-dry conditions, the fire service could do without reckless idiots setting fires just for the hell of it.

Arson attacks have risen by 32 per cent in North Yorkshire, which has seen the highest increase of anywhere in the country. This shocking rise in arson is putting an already stretched fire service under an even greater strain.

The increase in figures for arson can be partly explained by what North Yorkshire's arson reduction officer describes as "imported fires". This term refers to cars stolen in other areas, such as Cleveland and West Yorkshire and then abandoned and set ablaze in North Yorkshire.

The blackened, rusting shell of a burnt-out car is an all-too-common sight these days. People who steal cars and later set fire to them are putting themselves and other people at risk. With petrol on board cars can, and do, explode which could lead to more fires.

It seems unfair that rural North Yorkshire should have to put up with all these burnt-out vehicles.

Presumably the reason criminals chose to dump and burn cars here is that they are not afraid of being caught. Fear of detection is always one of the main deterrents in any crime, so more should be done to catch these arsonists.

Schools are too often subject to arson attacks, sometimes to terrible effect. Police now believe that a fire on Tuesday at All Saint's School in York, which damaged a classroom in the art block, could have been started deliberately.

Playing with fire, whether maliciously or in a misguided sense of "fun", is always dangerous and anyone tempted towards such stupid behaviour should stop and think about the consequences.

Updated: 11:05 Thursday, August 07, 2003