It doesn’t take much to spark an accidental fire at home – and they can happen at any time of year. Make sure your family, pets and home are safe with this simple information that can help prevent house fires.
Tips for preventing house fires
Common causes of house fires
You might be surprised by some of the most common causes of house fires. These include:
- Flammable items too close to heaters
- Open fireplaces
- Candles
- Careless smoking
- Unattended cooking
- Electric blankets
- Appliances left on and unattended
- Poorly maintained evaporative air conditioners
- Children playing with matches or lighters
- Incorrectly installed downlights
- Dust build-up on powerboards
- Overloading of powerboards
Staying safe
- Test your smoke alarms every month and change the batteries once a year.
- Make sure a fire blanket or extinguisher is easy to access, but away from potential fire hazards.
- Always have licensed and qualified tradespeople install lighting, air conditioning and heating systems.
- Turn off and unplug your appliances when they’re not in use.
- Develop and practise an escape plan in case there’s a fire.
Useful links
- Emergencies only: Contact Police, Fire or Ambulance 000.
- Fire safety: Department of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES) dfes.wa.gov.au.
- Electrical safety: Western Power westernpower.com.au.
For more information download our fact sheet.
