Arson cases in Tempe are up 69 percent this year compared to 2005.
There were 49 cases of arson from January through July 2006 compared to 29 the same time last year, according to Tempe crime reports.
"Reasons for arson can vary quite a bit," said Matt Reichling, Tempe senior fire investigator.
There's not a specific reason why the numbers are hig her this year, said Sgt. Dan Masters, Tempe police spokesman.
Police haven't identified a serial arsonist in Tempe, said Sgt. James Click, Tempe police criminal investigation division.
The number of arson cases Tempe handled has been about the same over the past few years, Reichling said.
However, there have been an increased number of smaller alley fires in south Tempe this year, he said.
Official 2006 ASU police statistics have not been tallied, but there was only one case of arson at ASU in 2005, said ASU police Commander Jim Hardina.
"We don't have a problem with arson at ASU, but fire is dangerous," Hardina said.
There was a Dumpster fire in 2005 between McClintock and Matthews halls, he said.
It did not cause damage outside of the Dumpster, but students and faculty had to be evacuated, he added.
Members of the Desert Rose Church at 5700 S. Country Club Drive were victims of arson July 24 at about 4:30 a.m.
Someone entered the church, and set four separate fires in the church, said Senior Pastor Todd Anderson.
"It's been very stressful," Anderson said. "We were displaced from the church for three weeks."
Wiring and electronics for the microphones and carpets were damaged, the plastic plants were burned to the ground, a piano and a pew were partially burned and the church smelled like smoke for weeks, he said.
"We had abbreviated services in cramped quarters [elsewhere in the building] with the smell of smoke in the background for three weeks," he said.
The fire impacted about 140 people from the Desert Rose Church, Anderson said.
"My question is what in their hearts caused them to devalue the building?" Anderson said.
