Modern homes are sleek, stylish and packed with comfort. With cutting-edge tech, layered insulation and double-glazed windows, you’d assume they’re built to last or that you’d at least be better off now than fifty years ago.
But when it comes to fire risk, there’s a lesser-known truth – today’s homes may actually burn hotter and faster than ever before.
According to the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS), the very materials and design features that make new builds energy-efficient and contemporary can also turn them into tinderboxes.
“Modern homes and furniture have the potential to catch fire and burn faster because they are sometimes built with lightweight materials and filled with synthetic (man-made) items like plastic and foam,” the MFS explains.
“Synthetic materials can burn quickly and produce a lot of toxic smoke, which have the potential for fires to rapidly spread and become more dangerous.”
Back in the day, homes were built differently and the furnishings were a lot less flammable. South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service’s Allan Foster reported that back then you had about a 12 to 15 minute window to evacuate.
Though the obvious modern-day culprit is the synthetic materials, double-glazed windows and heavier insulation also pose a threat because they trap the heat inside, causing the fire to get hotter and spread faster.
This comes off the back of another alarming revelation. According to a 2019 study by Macquarie University, more Australians are currently killed in residential fires each year than through other natural hazards – floods, storms and bushfires – combined. A lot of them reported as preventable.
So just how much time do you realistically have to get out now?
“A fire in a room can grow very quickly and has the potential to take over the whole space in 3 to 4 minutes, spreading thick smoke and intense heat through the rest of the house,” the MFS says.
“However, every fire is different and the speed in which it grows can be dependent on what else is in the room. That is why early warning is so important as it could give you the vital seconds required to escape.”
According to the MFS, the worry isn’t the space itself but the way you use it. So if you’re thinking this is just about tossing out the IKEA catalogue, hold up. You might just need to rethink where you’re leaving your heater.
“It’s not always about avoiding certain materials or furniture but more about where you place them and how you use them. Curtains near candles, heaters, or stoves can easily catch fire. Charging laptops or phones on soft furnishings like a bed may cause the heat to build up which can lead to a fire starting,” they explain.
“Safe placement and correct use matter more than the items themselves.”
The good news is there’s plenty you can do to stay safe. It’s not about wrapping your home in bubble wrap or avoiding a candle-lit dinner with a significant other, it’s about being prepared.
“Most fire-related deaths result from the inhalation of toxic smoke, not by the flames or heat,” the MFS says.
“That is why working smoke alarms are so important.”
Authorities continue to sound the alarm on outdated smoke detectors, urging households to not only keep them current but install them in bedrooms as well as communal spaces.
The MFS recommend every household has a Home Fire Escape Plan.
“Everyone should also have a Home Fire Escape Plan, which means knowing how to get out quickly, having a meeting place outside, and practising the plan so everyone knows what to do in an emergency.
And while fire risk doesn’t change within the seasons, the MFS points to cooking, electrical equipment and heating as the three most common causes of house fires, making it equally as important to be careful in the cooler months.
“The average number of house fires does not change based on seasons. Every fire is different and the speed in which it grows can be dependent on what else is in the room,” they elaborate.
“That is why early warning, such as having working smoke alarms, is so important as it could give you the vital seconds required to escape.”
As we embrace the cooler chill and toasty up in our electric blankets, it’s important to consider the risks and act accordingly. As someone who’s experienced a house fire, there’s nothing worse than seeing your things burn to ash (surprise, surprise).
So check your alarms, be careful where you put your stuff, have an escape plan and be vigilant this winter.
Want to learn more? The MFS has a range of free factsheets to help keep your household safe year-round.
For the Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS), click here.
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