THE past year has seen a rising trend of car arsons in Bradford  - with anti-social behaviour and “payback” blamed for many of the blazes.

Since April fire crews have been called to 171 vehicle arsons in the Bradford district and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service say “hot spots” for such fires include Keighley and the Tong and Eccleshill wards of Bradford.

West Yorkshire Fire Authority’s Community Safety Committee discussed the figures at a meeting on Friday.

Members were told that since April in Bradford there had been a rise in primary arsons – arsons that involve a building or vehicle, compared to the previous year.

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As of December, Bradford crews had been called out to 277 primary arsons, up from 219 at the same point the previous year.

They included the 171 vehicle arsons as well as 48 dwelling fires, 33 non-domestic building fires and 25 fires classed as “other.”

A report to the committee, which is made up of Councillors from across West Yorkshire, said: “The (Bradford) District continues to see a rising trend in the number of arson–primary fires associated with vehicles, notably in the Keighley, Tong and Eccleshill wards.

“Knowing the risk areas Bradford district alongside partners are working collaboratively to engage with the community through days of action plus direct engagement with the Holme Valley Project.

“In addition, the district has secured funding through the Local Authority anti-social behaviour initiative to deliver targeted youth intervention to over 100 youths.

“Data related to vehicle arson is being shared with partners (primarily the police) to ascertain causation and opportunities for prevention activities.”

During the meeting Councillor Ruth Wood (Lab, Royds) questioned what was being done to deal with the issue of car arsons.

District commander Christopher Kovaks said the service shared information with police and Councillors after such incidents.

He said: “It has to be a collaborative approach in identifying those people behind it.

“There are elements of payback and anti-social behaviour in some of the incidents.”

The committee also heard that there had been a rise in “secondary arsons” in Bradford – deliberate fires involving waste or vegetation.

There had been 1,436 incidents so far this year compared to 1,304 at this point the previous year.

Area manager Scott Donegan said last year had been a “really bad summer” across West Yorkshire for secondary arsons due to the unusually warm weather.

He said secondary arsons had fallen since summer.