New statistics released by DFES on Smoke Alarm Action Day show most burnt properties did not have alarms

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New statistics released by DFES on Smoke Alarm Action Day show most burnt properties did not have alarms

More than half of WA properties engulfed by fire in the past year did not have a smoke alarm installed, shocking new statistics have revealed.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services released the figures on the first day of winter — which is also Smoke Alarm Action Day — in a warning for property owners to install and regularly test smoke alarms.

Winter is typically the busiest time for house fires.

There have been more than 1100 structure fires (782 in homes) since July 2024, a rate of more than three a day.

Smoke alarms were fitted in less than 43 per cent of those fire-affected properties.

According to DFES Deputy Commissioner Craig Waters, a fire can take off in seconds and engulf a room in minutes, trapping occupants and cutting off escape routes.

“At night, we lose our sense of smell, so a smoke alarm is an essential detection device to help save lives and can be the difference between a close escape and a catastrophe,” he said.

“If you don’t have a smoke alarm or you’re not regularly cleaning them or checking that your smoke alarms are in working order, you may be putting the lives of your loved ones at risk.”

The need for working smoke alarms is also much higher for people in rural and regional areas who are further from emergency services.

Research also shows that many people understand smoke alarms are a legal requirement in WA, but are not aware of the need to maintain the proper function of the devices.

Mr Waters urged property owners to take five minutes to test smoke alarms and clean away dust and cobwebs.

“If your smoke alarm has a replaceable battery, change it every year,” he added.

“A beeping or chirping smoke alarm means a low battery or fault within you smoke alarm.

“All smoke alarms, regardless of type, must be replaced every 10 years.”

He also encouraged property owners to install heat alarms in garages where lithium-ion devices are charged and “highly destructive fires can start with little warning”.

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