The CFA has issued a timely reminder to homeowners to check their electrical appliances and chimneys for potential fire hazards as the cooler months begin.
In the last 12 months there were 279 building fires in District 27 which encompasses the Latrobe Valley and 80 of those were residential homes.
Data released by the CFA last week revealed there were more than 1500 preventable fires in Victoria last year, costing more than $42 million in property damage and with 46 per cent of fires starting in kitchens or lounge rooms.
CFA District 27 operations officer Emma Conway said the most common cause of fire was food being left unattended in places like on the stove and in the oven.
“The second most common cause of fire was electrical faults and mechanical failures such as a chimney and flue or appliance-related fire,” Ms Conway said.
“If chimneys aren’t maintained it can cause structure fires or potentially burn down your house.
“So we’re advising people to make sure they have their chimneys checked and cleaned where required. It should happen at least once a year.”
A build up of soot in the chimney is the main cause of a structure fire, often due to the smoke carrying particles of unburnt fuels up the structure which can build up, spark and ignite the unburnt fuel.
Other causes of fires in the past year have been people leaving clothes too close to heaters, children playing with matches or near fire, and wood falling out of open fireplaces.
“It also might be due to the fact in the colder months, people don’t necessarily heat their whole house,” Ms Conway said.
“So while they might have food on the stove while it’s cooking, they might be in the warmer part of the house and we know how easy it is to get distracted. Keep an eye on it.”
The CFA also reminded people to check the batteries in their smoke alarms, inspect leads for fraying and potential damage on electrical appliances and to ensure food is not left unattended.
For more information, visit the Home Fire Safety Checklist at cfa.vic.gov.au.
