This week is Arson Awareness Week, and state leaders and fire officials are sharing strategies to combat arson problems in local communities.
According to the National Fire Protection Association's fire loss data, an estimated 25,500 structure fires were intentionally set in 2018, an increase of 13 percent over the year before.
Attorney General Josh Kaul said the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation houses the Office of the State Fire Marshal and an Arson Bureau, with special agents that are called upon to investigate fires and explosions involving unknown or suspicious circumstances.
“The Arson Bureau in the Wisconsin Department of Justice provides a critical resource for local law enforcement, fire departments, victims and communities,” Kaul said.