Melton and Moorabool residents are getting more fire-savvy, with the latest statistics showing a drop in the number of house fires this winter.
But despite the reduction, firefighters have warned residents to be more careful, especially in the kitchen.
Unattended cooking was the leading cause of preventable house fires for the second winter in a row.
CFA operations manager Gavin Hope said resident carelessness was an ongoing worry for firefighters, who regularly see the impact avoidable fires have on families and property.
“Everyone needs to pay attention to the small mistakes that can cause fires at home,” Mr Hope said.
“Preventing a fire comes down to simple things like being aware of what distracts you when you’re in the kitchen and setting a timer so you don’t forget there’s something on the stove.”
Statistics reveal that almost a quarter of all preventable fires were caused by unsupervised cooking.
Across the state, the total number of preventable house fires between June and August 2014 was 804 – down from 954 last winter.
Melton and Moorabool also experienced fewer house fires, with 15 in Melton and five in Moorabool.
That compared with 22 in Melton and six in Moorabool the previous winter.
Other causes of preventable house fires this winter included electrical faults and failure to keep equipment clean.
Apart from the kitchen, other areas in the home that often caught alight were bedrooms and laundries.
