The bushfires have made householders more aware of fire safety around the home, according to the 2003 AAMI Firescreen survey.
“Almost one-quarter of Australians have taken extra fire precautions, as a result of the recent bushfires,” AAMI public affairs manager Geoff Hughes said. “Fifteen per cent of householders responded by clearing gutters and 14 per cent responded by clearing trees and branches around the house.
“They have also taken measures such as developing an escape plan in the event of a fire, removing rubbish from around the house and purchasing fire equipment, including fire extinguishers and smoke alarms.
“We found residents in bushfire-prone areas reacted most strongly to the fires. More than three out of every five residents in bushfire-prone areas have taken extra fire precautions since the January bushfire disaster.”
The two most common new precautions were clearing gutters (15 per cent) and clearing trees and branches around the house (14 per cent).
Householders also took extra measures such as developing a fire plan, removing rubbish from around the house and purchasing fire equipment, including fire extinguishers and smoke alarms.
Residents in bushfire-prone areas reacted most strongly to the bushfires: 44 per cent cleared gutters and 37 per cent cleared trees and branches around the house.
More than half of all Canberra residents took additional fire precautions in the wake of the bushfires.
More than one in five Australians (22 per cent) have experienced a fire in their home. Almost nine in ten Australians (87 per cent) have some kind of fire prevention equipment in their home, including smoke alarms (84 per cent) and fire extinguishers (34 per cent). The average Australian home has 1.9 smoke alarms.
Smoke alarms were the most common form of fire prevention equipment. Almost every home in South Australia and Victoria had a smoke alarm, while fewer than three-quarters of NSW homes (73 per cent) had a smoke alarm.
Renters (23 per cent) were twice as likely as home owners (12 per cent) not to have a smoke alarm in their home. Smoke alarms were also far less common in homes more than ten years old.
In most Australian States and Territories, it is now mandatory for new homes to be fitted with smoke alarms ‘hard wired’ to the home’s 240V mains power. Fire authorities recommend all new and existing homes be fitted with smoke alarms, and that they are checked every month by pressing the green button and batteries replaced six monthly as daylight saving changes.
Electrical faults, including faulty appliances or fittings, were identified as the second most common cause, accounting for 18 per cent of all home fires.
This year, bushfires rose alarmingly as a cause of home fires. Of all Australians who experienced a fire, 10 per cent identified bushfire as the cause.
The kitchen was the most dangerous room in the house for fires. More than half of all home fires (55 per cent) began in the kitchen.
The bedroom (9 per cent) was the second most common location in the house where fires started.
Almost three-quarters of home fires (72 per cent) were confined to the area they started in. Fourteen per cent engulfed a room, while 8 per cent of fires destroyed the entire home.
Fire extinguishers were the second most common form of fire equipment. More than one-third of Australian homes (34 per cent had a fire extinguisher.
One in five Australian homes (20 per cent) had a fire blanket. Victorians and Canberra residents (both 26 per cent) were most likely to own a fire blanket.
Smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and fire blankets are surprisingly inexpensive. They are sold at most major home retail outlets and hardware stores and are typically available in the following price ranges:
Smoke alarms $10 – $40
Fire extinguishers $30 – $180
Fire blankets $19 – $40
Saturday is the riskiest time of the week for a fire in the home, according to AAMI’s fire claims data. Just over 15 per cent of fire claims were recorded on Saturdays.
Where it was possible to determine when a fire started, AAMI found more home fires began between the hours of 4pm and 8pm than during any other period in the day.
Security could cause a risk. Firefighters warn against deadlocking yourself in your home. Instead leave the keys in the deadlocks when you are at home. Make sure all windows, doors and security grilles can be opened easily from the inside.
And once you are out of your home, stay out. Never go back into a burning house.
• Keep your lawn cut short and make sure your backyard is tidy to prevent the build up of flammable material. Plant fire-resistant trees and shrubs.
• Make sure your garden hoses are long enough to reach your property’s boundary. Keep a torch and a transistor radio in your home in case the electricity fails.
Know your evacuation drill
• Ensure that each member of your family, including children, knows where the local community evacuation area is.
Obey all fire restrictions
• On Total Fire Ban days or days of extreme fire danger, follow all rules relating to BBQs and lighting open fires.
• Do not throw lit cigarettes on the ground.
When a bushfire threatens
• Close all doors and windows. Report the fire.
• Fill your bath and buckets with water. Block downpipes with rags and fill gutters with water. Block spaces underneath doors to keep out smoke, and move family members to a room furthest from the fire front.
• Obey all instructions regarding fire evacuation.