Ottawa Fire Services provides tips to prevent 3 common household fires

The Ottawa Fire Services is offering tips to help prevent the most common fires in households.

Cooking, improperly discarded smoking materials and the dryer are three of the most common causes of fires in homes. 

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Fire Prevention Officer Leanne Labbee dropped by CTV Morning Live on Wednesday to discuss three common types of household fires, and how you can take steps to prevent a fire in your home.

Dryer fires

Labbee says dryer lint is the "major risk" with your dryer at home.

"The dryers pose a risk mainly because of the lint that builds up within them," Labbee said. "So, dryer lint is extremely combustible; I always like to joke that if you need to make fire starters collect your dryer lint because it will help you automatically."

Labbee says it's "extremely important" to clean out the lint trap after every use.

"I would say monthly, if not every couple of months, give a vacuum to that inside area, as well as the exterior where that lint tends to build up."

Other recommendations to prevent fires with your dryer is to have the ducts cleaned out annually or every couple of years, and ensure the dryer is plugged in properly.

Labbee adds maintenance is the "number one way" to prevent fires with your dryer.

"Don’t overload the dryers either because that can cause the heat to build up and not transfer properly."

Unattended cooking

Labbee says unattended cooking is the number one cause of residential fires in Ontario.

"The biggest thing with that is making sure that you're actually paying attention to what you're doing," Labbee tells CTV Morning Live. " So you don't want to leave anything cooking by itself, do any of that – that includes stove top and oven because fires can happen in the oven with the grease."

Firefighters recommend using a timer when cooking, and if you're using a pot to have the lid nearby.

"If a fire does happen, the easiest way to put it out is to stick the lid on top and turn off the heat to take away all of the oxygen," Labbee says.

Labbee adds while the law does not require households to have a fire extinguisher, the service recommends a 2.5 or 5 lb. fire extinguisher for the kitchen.

 "Baking soda can be a backup for you to put out a kitchen fire."

Smoking materials

Improperly discarded smoking material is the number one cause of residential home fatalities, according to Labbee.

"It's people falling asleep while they're smoking, not disposing of them properly," Labbee says.

The Ottawa Fire Services notes fires can start in flower pots and planters.

"A lot of people think that this planter has dirt in it that the planter is the perfect place to put it out, but unfortunately that has peat in it which will actually increase and cause a fire while it smoulders."

Labbee recommends homeowners have metal containers with sand or water for discarded smoking materials.