What is Arson?

Under California Penal Code Section 451, Arson occurs when a person 

purposefully or with the intent to harm causes a structure, building, 

forest land or other property.  If the act of arson causes great bodily 

injury, it is a felony and anyone convicted can be sent to prison for five 

to nine years.  If the act of arson is perpetrated on a building that is also 

a residence or structure otherwise inhabited, you can be sent to prison for 

a period of three to eight years.

Arson in the United States

Arson is the leading cause of fires (267,000 annually) in the United States

 and the second leading cause of deaths (475) and injuries (2,000); arson causes

 $1.4 billion in property loss each year.  Community, municipal, and Federal 

interventions in addressing certain aspects of the problem have ameliorated arson 

incidence.  50% of arson fires occur outdoors, 30% in structures, and 20% in vehicles.

Half of all arson arrests are juveniles. Vacant and abandoned buildings are targets 

for arsonists. Also poorer neighborhoods experience 14 times the number of arsons 

as higher income neighborhoods.

Church arsons increased sharply in 1996.

Arson is the leading cause of fire in the United States.

Each year, an estimated 267,000 fires are attributed to arson, which result in 

$1.4 billion in property loss and cause over 2,000 injuries and 475 deaths. 

As a result, arson prevention and investigation have become the focus of increased 

attention within the federal government, the fire service, and the criminal justice 

system.