Warning on heater fires as winter arrives
With the mercury set to plummet in Canberra over the coming weeks and months, emergency services have issued a renewed warning to residents to keep their homes safe from heater fires.
"Heaters are an essential item in Canberra, but if not used correctly, they can cause fires," a spokeswoman for the ACT Emergency Services Agency said.
The warning comes following last year's winter, which saw almost half of all house fires in Canberra caused by heaters occur during the coldest months of the year, according to the ESA.
Heaters were the source of 18 house fires in the capital in 2017, with eight of those taking place between June and August.
"July was the month with the highest recorded number of heater fires," the ESA spokeswoman said.
In order to avoid the potential of heaters causing house fires, the ESA is warning Canberrans to keep heaters clear of other objects.
"A minimum of one metre clearance from clothes, bedding, furniture, curtains and other combustibles is required to make your home safe," the spokeswoman said.
"Heating safety involves correct installation and maintenance, the supervision of children and pets, safe clearance distances, use of correct fuels and adherence to the manufacturer's instructions."
Temperatures are set to drop to close to zero in coming days, with Sunday's minimum expected to be 3 degrees, a minimum of 2 degrees on Monday and a low of just 1 degree forecast for Tuesday.