It's not Christmas without some decorative twinkling lights.
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However, despite their notably small size, Christmas lights heat up and can cause a fire if they are placed near flammable materials such as wrapping paper, decorations, or curtains.
Managing Director of Emerald (a smoke alarm manufacturer), Stuart Edgley, said many people associate winter as the key season for residential fires, but fires in the home can occur at any time throughout the year.
"In summer there are plenty of hazards to be aware of, particularly when it comes to Christmas trees, decorative lights, candles, excited kids and pets, and overworked power boards," he said.
"Not only can the hot and dry summer weather provide ideal conditions for fires to start, but people can also be away from their homes on holidays or leaving pets at home alone more frequently due to busier than usual social schedules.
"So it's important to be prepared - be aware of fire dangers in the home and make sure you're protected if something goes wrong."
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The most common fire dangers in your home
The majority of fires begin in the kitchen, sleeping areas and lounge area of a home, with the most common causes being heat sources and electrical short circuits.
"Basically any device that generates heat, or heats up with extended use, is a potential fire hazard. This includes stoves, clothes dryers, computers, lights, or fans," Mr Edgley said.
"Most house fires start from cooking, often when left unattended or by oil or other ingredients catching fire. That is easy to do when there is a lot going on."
Focusing on Christmas, Mr Edgley said it was important to check for faults in lights and turn any decorative lights off before going to bed.
"Candles should also be extinguished whenever you leave the room. It is equally important to ensure they are placed in a safe position and away from pets and children," he said.
"Power boards are also a concern as they can be easily overloaded with new gadgets and appliances."
It is also important to use caution when charging lithium-ion-powered devices, which are often popular Christmas gifts including e-bikes, e-scooters and e-skateboards.
Firefighters have raised concerns about a potential increase of residential fires triggered by these batteries as such devices become more popular.
Here are four expert tips to help stay fire safe this festive season.
1. Install a smoke alarms system and test monthly. Install interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the kitchen, living areas, every bedroom and outside all sleeping areas, plus the garage and/or workshop.
2. Only use decorative lights that have an Australian Standards label and follow manufacturer's instructions on setting up and operating. Keep children and pets away from lights, candles, and matches.
3. Never leave cooking unattended and to make sure you have a fire blanket or extinguisher within arm's reach that meets Australian Standards.
4. Don't overload power boards, piggyback double adaptors or overcharge lithium-ion-powered devices. For maximum safety, ensure power boards have both overload protection and earth leakage protection devices incorporated. Do you research regarding lithium-ion battery-powered equipment.
"It only takes three minutes for a fire to take hold in your home and when you're asleep you will not smell smoke - in fact, it will put you into a deeper sleep. Therefore, working smoke alarms are critical," Mr Edgley said.
"While accidents happen, you're twice as likely to die in a house fire if you don't have a working smoke alarm. Therefore, my number one tip is to expect and prepare for accidents by having the right technology to keep you and your family safe."
