Colder weather this January could result an increased risk of fires in the home, South Yorkshire firefighters say.

The fire service is asking people to heat their homes with care and look out for older people this winter as part of their ‘Safe and Warm’ drive to cut house fires.

Close to 200 house fires started accidentally in each of the last two winters, around a 20% hike compared to the warmer summer months. With energy price rises squeezing many residents’ post-Christmas pockets, some may be also be driven to heat their homes less safely.

The advice offered by South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) includes:

Heaters- keep heaters away from curtains and furniture and never use them to dry clothes

Open fires- use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks and make sure embers are properly extinguished before going to bed

Electric blankets- never use hot water bottles in the same bed as an electric blanket, even if it is switched off

Candles- never leave naked flames unattended and only put them on heat resistant surfaces

Diane Malpass, Station Manager in Community Safety, said: “The number of house fires we attend continues to fall steadily every year. But as winter really starts to bite, we do see a seasonal increase in certain types of incident, such as accidental blazes started by heaters or unsafe electrical appliances.

 “Just asking yourself a few simple questions about the safety of the equipment before switching it on, might be enough to protect you and your family from a serious fire. And where electrical items are concerned, remembering to switch them off after use and before you go to bed is one of the surest ways of ensuring they don’t become a fire risk.”

Older people are one of the groups believed to be most at risk of a fire in the home, so experts are also calling on the public to lend a hand to needy neighbours or relatives, particularly those living alone

“Spending just a few minutes with an older person who lives alone, maybe once a day or a couple of times a week, checking the safety of their heaters and electrics and testing their smoke alarm could make a massive difference to that person’s safety this winter.”

For more information on staying safe in the home this winter, visit www.syfire.gov.uk or follow the #safeandwarm advice on Twitter @syfr

Number of accidental house fires by season: