Key takeaways
- ✓ Clear dry leaves, cardboard and off-cuts from around the house, and never park a hot car over leaf litter.
- ✓ Store fuel and flammable liquids in proper containers away from the house, and drain lawnmowers before winter storage.
- ✓ Have heaters and chimneys checked before first use, keep a metre of clear space around them, and screen open fireplaces.
- ✓ Test every smoke alarm monthly, replace batteries yearly and replace the alarm itself every 10 years.
- ✓ Never overload power boards, and put candles out completely before you leave the room or go to sleep.
Why autumn is a fire-risk season
A house fire destroys in minutes what took years to build, and the clean-up and restoration that follow are disruptive and costly. The good news is that most autumn house fires start from a short list of predictable causes — dry garden litter, heaters coming back into service, overloaded electrics and unattended candles. Work through the checks below once at the start of the season and you remove most of the risk before it has a chance to start.
Outdoors & around the property
- ✓ Never park over dry leaves. The catalytic converter and exhaust under your car run hot enough to ignite a pile of leaves beneath it. Park on clear ground.
- ✓ Store flammable liquids properly. Keep petrol, solvents and other fuels in approved containers, well away from the house — not inside the home or tucked into the garage. Drain excess fuel so escaping vapours can't find an ignition source.
- ✓ Drain the mower. Empty the fuel from lawnmowers and other petrol equipment before storing them for winter.
- ✓ Check trees near power lines. If branches are touching or crowding overhead lines, report it to your electricity network so it can be dealt with promptly.
- ✓ Don't stockpile fuel for a fire. Cardboard boxes, paper, dry timber and off-cuts left in the yard are perfect kindling. All it takes is one stray spark.
Heating your home safely
- ✓ Test your smoke alarms first. Before the heating season starts, press the test button on every alarm, replace any flat batteries, and replace any alarm that's more than 10 years old. A working alarm is your earliest warning.
- ✓ Keep a fire extinguisher handy. Store it somewhere everyone in the household can reach, and make sure adults know how to use it.
- ✓ Service central heating annually. Have a licensed HVAC technician inspect ducted or central systems every year before first use.
- ✓ Gas heaters need carbon monoxide detectors. If you heat with gas, install carbon monoxide detectors and check they're working.
- ✓ Give space heaters space. Keep a generous clear zone around portable heaters — nothing combustible within reach: no clothes drying, no curtains, no furniture pushed up close.
- ✓ Screen the fireplace. Fit a proper glass or mesh screen so sparks can't land on carpet or furnishings.
Inside the house: electrics & candles
- ✓ Don't overload power points. Piggy-backing adaptors and daisy-chained power boards overload the circuit behind the wall — a classic recipe for an electrical fire. One plug per socket, and use power boards with overload protection.
- ✓ Check cords and connections. Look over your appliances regularly for frayed cords and loose connections, switch appliances off when they're not in use, and plug them in where they're designed to be used.
- ✓ Treat candles with respect. Blow out every candle before you leave the room or go to bed. Keep them well away from curtains, bedding and anything else that can burn, and never leave them where children or pets could knock them over.
If the worst still happens
These checks dramatically reduce the odds of fire damage — but no home is completely fireproof. If a fire does break out, get everyone out, call 000, and don't re-enter until fire crews say it's safe. After that, professional fire damage restoration deals with the smoke, soot, odour and water left behind so the damage doesn't keep spreading.
Need a hand in Sydney or Regional NSW?
One Prime responds 24/7 across Greater Sydney & Regional NSW. If your home or property has been through a fire, our fire damage restoration team will clean, remediate and restore it properly — call 1300 774 631 or get in touch for a rapid response.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I test my smoke alarms?
Press the test button on every smoke alarm once a month. Replace standard batteries every year, and replace the whole alarm unit at least every 10 years. If yours has a built-in lithium battery, the entire alarm is replaced at the 10-year mark.
Is it really dangerous to park over dry leaves?
Yes. The catalytic converter and exhaust system under a car run extremely hot, and a pile of dry autumn leaves beneath them can ignite. Always park on clear ground, especially after a long drive.
How much clearance does a portable heater need?
Keep a generous clear zone around any heater — no clothes drying on or near it, no curtains brushing it, and no furniture pushed up close. Switch it off whenever you leave the room, and supervise children and pets around it.
What should I do about smoke and soot after a small fire?
Even a small fire leaves acidic soot and smoke odour that keep damaging surfaces the longer they sit. Ventilate the area, avoid scrubbing soot into porous surfaces, and bring in a professional restoration team promptly to clean, deodorise and treat affected materials.
Sources & further reading
- Fire and Rescue NSW — Smoke alarms: what is the law?
- Fire and Rescue NSW — Smoke alarm maintenance guide
This article is general information, not medical or legal advice. Last reviewed 5 March 2019 by the One Prime Solutions team.