The number of persons directly impacted by fire in 2025 increased by 12.8 per cent to 1,965 above the previous year. This was the second consecutive year of increase according to the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in its Economic and Social Survey Jamaica (ESSJ) tabled in Parliament this week.The PIOJ said the increase was due primarily to a 15 per cent jump in the number of individuals rendered homeless.Adults comprised the majority of those affected, accounting for 73.5 per cent of the impacted population, while children made up 26.1 per cent.In contrast, fire-related deaths declined for the second consecutive year to 19. For the previous year 27 persons perished in fire related-deaths.Non-structural fires remained the dominant fire category, recording 9,491 incidents, 85.9 per cent of the total and an increase of 16.2 per cent. The increase was largely attributed to the rise of the categories ‘Bush’ and ‘Refuse Sites’ fires, which rose by 26.2 per cent and 24.5 per cent, respectively.The PIOJ reported that the country experienced an increase in bushfires which resulted in property loss of $9.9 billion, representing 2.2 per cent of the estimated value ($446.8 billion) of property at risk.St Catherine accounted for the largest number of bush fires, with 1,424 incidents, followed by St Ann with 645. Kingston and St Andrew and St Catherine recorded the highest number of structural fires with 325 and 257, respectively, or 37.4 per cent of the total fires occurring in that classification.Property loss was estimated at $9.9 billion, representing 2.2 per cent of the estimated value ($446.8 billion) of property at risk.A total of 11,048 genuine fire calls were responded to in 2025, an increase of 13 per cent relative to 2024.Consistent with the previous year, St Catherine and Kingston & St Andrew accounted for the highest number of reported fires, totalling 2,357 and 2,110, respectively.St Thomas and Trelawny were among the eight parishes which recorded an increased number of fires, with the former almost doubling the previous year’s figure. Some 2,711 malicious false alarm calls were made, over 54 per cent more relative to 2024. Of that total, Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine and Manchester combined, accounted for almost 45 per cent.editorial@gleanerjm.com