As the temperature drops, residents bring out the electric blankets, crank up the gas heaters, ignite fireplaces and start whipping up warm dinners in the kitchen. Firefighters know this as "the busy season".
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Electric blankets can catch fire, heaters or fireplaces can spit flames or set materials ablaze, and unattended stove tops, pots or ovens can spell disaster.
Illawarra firefighters have urged residents to take extra care during winter, after several minor incidents over the weekend, including an elderly Gwynneville man waking to find his electric blanket smoking.
"This is the busy time of year for us. The weather is getting cold, people need to make sure electric blankets and heaters are serviced and working properly," Fire Rescue NSW Inspector Jeremy Hood said. "Don't leave them unattended. Turn them off when you're not using them."
The NSW government this week launched its annual winter fire safety campaign, teaching residents to stay safe while staying warm.
Firefighters respond to over 1200 house fires between June and September each year, with around half starting in kitchens, according to FRNSW. More than 40 per cent of fire fatalities occur in winter.
Insp Hood said many incidents could be avoided through paying attention. "The big things are turning on a blanket and forgetting about it, hanging wet clothes too close to a heater, or leaving cooking unattended," he said.
He also reminded all residents to ensure they had working smoke alarms in their homes.