GLOUCESTERSHIRE has one of the lowest shares of accidental house fires started by cigarettes in England, official figures show.

Between April 2023 and March 2026, smoking materials were the source of 28 of the 849 accidental house fires in the Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service area, according to incident records published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

That is 3.3 per cent, below the figure of seven per cent for England as a whole, and gives Gloucestershire the third lowest share of England's 43 fire and rescue service areas.

In the year to March 2026, smoking materials started seven of the 313 accidental house fires in Gloucestershire.

Of the fire and rescue service areas in the South West, Gloucestershire has the lowest share. The others are Avon on 6.9 per cent, Devon and Somerset on 4.7 per cent, Dorset and Wiltshire on 4.4 per cent and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on 3.8 per cent.

Across England, smoking materials started 1,819 of the 23,795 accidental house fires in the year to March 2026. Yet, those fires accounted for 43 of the 161 deaths in accidental house fires, more than any other identified source of ignition, according to the government's detailed analysis of fires published in August.

The 1,819 fires started by smoking materials were up from 1,541 the year before, and close to the 1,820 recorded in the year to March 2022.

Shane Margereson, founder of Ecigone, an online vape shop said, "Cigarettes are one of the few things people carry around the house that are actually alight. Once one is put down it can keep smouldering, and if it ends up in a bin, down the side of a sofa or on a duvet, it can be a long time before anyone notices.

"Nicotine isn't what starts these fires, it's the burning. Vapes heat a liquid with a battery, so there's no flame and no hot ash to drop, although like any rechargeable gadget the battery needs looking after when it's on charge."

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service said while the figures appear positive, they should be met with some scepticism.

Donna Potts, Deputy Head of Prevention and Head of Safeguarding at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “It is encouraging to see Gloucestershire reporting a relatively low proportion of accidental house fires linked to smoking materials. However, the figures should be treated with some caution, as incident records can include other items such as matches and lighters as smoking materials.

“Smoking remains one of the leading causes of house fires and accidental fire deaths, particularly among older and more vulnerable people. We work closely with partners across Gloucestershire to identify people who may be at greater risk and provide home fire safety visits, advice and equipment to help keep them safe.

“Vapes present different fire risks to cigarettes. They do not contain continuously burning material, but their lithium-ion batteries can cause fires if they are damaged, charged incorrectly or disposed of unsafely. We advise people to charge vapes safely and never put them in household bins, as the batteries can cause fires in collection vehicles and waste facilities.”

Some fire safety advice is available online or via Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue’s social media channels.