Canberra praised for fire safety this winter

As the final month of winter sets in, Canberrans are being praised for their vigilance over the last two months.

Statistics provided by ACT Fire & Rescue (ACTF&R) show a decrease in kitchen related fires for the months of June and July 2021 in comparison to 2020 by 41%.

ACT Emergency Services Agency Commissioner Georgeina Whelan praised the Canberra community and said that latest statistics show that Canberrans are listening to safety messages and taking action within the home to reduce fire risks.

“Each year fires in the kitchen are our leading type of house fire, so we emphasise the importance of ‘don’t stop looking while you are cooking’ through our community education campaign.

“This year we have seen a decrease in the number of fires ACT Fire & Rescue have responded to in relation to fires that started in the kitchen, which is surprising as people are spending more time at home,” Commissioner Whelan said.

Throughout the final month of ACT Fire & Rescue’s house-fire safety campaign, firefighters will be focusing their efforts on ensuring kitchen fires statistic don’t creep back up.

ACT Fire & Rescue A/g Chief Officer Matthew Mavity urged Canberrans not to become complacent about fire safety this August and challenged the community to keep kitchen fires out of their homes with a target of zero kitchen fires this August.

“With a decrease in kitchen fires so far this winter we challenge Canberrans to make the month of August a new record of zero kitchen fires,” Chief Officer Mavity said.

As the cooler weather starts to ease with spring approaching, Canberrans are reminded that kitchen fires can happen anytime of the year and understanding how to reduce fire risks is key to keeping yourself and your family safe.

Always ensure you have a working smoke alarm and know what you will do if a fire does take hold in your home.

For more information and fire safety tips, including resources for kids visit www.esa.act.gov.au