Cost of farm fires up by £1 million in Northern Ireland
Rural insurer NFU Mutual is urging farmers to check their fire precautions and have emergency plans in place, as the latest figures show the cost of farm fires reached a five-year high last year.
Across the UK, the cost of farm fires reached £49 million. Concerningly, the cost of arson damage rose by a staggering 40% to over £9 million.
And the problem only looks set to get worse. NFU Mutual’s initial claims figures from January to July 2020 have seen an increase in both the number of incidents and total cost, suggesting that 2020 could be heading towards a six-year high.
Northern Ireland was one of just four areas of the UK to see an increase in fires, with the cost rising by more than £1 million compared to 2018.
“Farm fires put the lives of people and livestock at risk as well as having a huge emotional and business impact on farmers and their families,” said Andy Manson, managing director of NFU Mutual Risk Management Services Ltd (RMS).
“The scale of the damage we are seeing shows it’s more important than ever to reduce the risk of a fire.
Farmers not only have to be mindful of the usual farm hazards such as electrical equipment, combustible material and fuel but also protect themselves from the alarming rise in arson damage.
“Many farmers are feeling particularly vulnerable this year and with straw in short supply after the poor harvest, more and more are using remote camera systems linked to mobile phones as well as fencing off straw stacks and farm buildings to discourage arsonists.”
Electrical fires
RMS is also advising farmers to have regular electrical inspections, not to overload power supplies and have enough plug sockets to avoid using multi gangs and other adapters.
Across the UK, electrical faults accounted for over half the total last year, followed by arson which rose by 40% to £9 million.
Although the number of farm fires last year was at a similar level to 2018 across the UK, the damage was more costly. The Midlands was the worst-affected region by cost in 2019, totalling £13.2 million.
NFU Mutual Farm Fire checklist
NFU Mutual Risk Management Services provides a long-established face-to-face and remote risk management consultancy service.
It is used by farms and rural businesses to identify and manage the risks in their businesses – including fire.
