This is “Arson Awareness Week” in Iowa.
John Ticer, a special agent in the Iowa Fire Marshal’s Office says there is rarely a week that goes by without a suspicious fire.

Last year, 36 percent of the fires Ticer and the rest of the staff in the Iowa Fire Marshal’s Office investigated were determined to be intentionally set. One of the goals for “Arson Awareness Week” is to encourage the public to report specific activity.

The Iowa Fire Marshal’s Office is hoping to get the public’s help in solving some “cold” cases.
Arson fires caused an estimated two-and-a-half MILLION dollars’ worth of property damage in Iowa last year. Ticer says some of that is insurance fraud, but there are a variety of other causes for arson fires, including revenge.