The Central Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) recorded a total of 703 fire incidents in 2025, representing about a seven per cent increase over the 658 cases recorded in 2024.

The rise was primarily attributed to an increase in bushfires, which jumped from 104 in 2024 to 147 in 2025, marking a 41 per cent increase.

According to the GNFS, most bushfires occurred in peri-urban and newly developed communities, where residents often set fires to clear land for construction or backyard farming.
Communities most affected included Amamoma, Duakor and Ankaful in Cape Coast, as well as Elmina, Dunkwa-on-Offin, Abura Dunkwa and Winneba.

Vehicular and refuse fires up

Vehicular fires also increased from 59 in 2024 to 76 in 2025, while refuse fires rose marginally from 15 to 17 within the same period.

Domestic fires, however, remained unchanged at 243 cases for both years.

Industrial fires decline

Despite the overall increase, the region recorded significant reductions in some fire categories. Industrial fires dropped by 58.3 per cent, falling from 12 cases in 2024 to five in 2025.

Commercial fires also declined from 113 to 107, institutional fires from 36 to 30, while electrical fires recorded a slight reduction within the same period.

The GNFS attributed the decline in industrial and institutional fires to intensified fire safety education and routine inspections carried out in 2025.

Year of action

The Central Regional Commander of the GNFS, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Merinder Mary Attigah-Mensah, said the command had declared 2026 as a “Year of Action” to further reduce fire incidents across the region.

She explained that the GNFS would deploy all available fire safety mechanisms, while intensifying public education and inspections, particularly in fire-prone communities.

ACFO Attigah-Mensah said the command was engaging community information centres and local opinion leaders to help curb bushfires, adding that enforcement of fire safety standards would be sustained.

She urged the public to adhere to fire safety advice provided during engagement sessions strictly and appealed to market authorities to make space available for market fire posts to ensure 24-hour protection of market facilities.