It’s Fire Prevention Week and firefighters across Saskatchewan are urging people to cook with care.
The focus this year is on kitchen fires which are the leading cause of fires in Regina and across the country.
Between 2009 and 2015, cooking caused 39 per cent of structure fires in Regina, amounting to more than $8 million in damage.
“It is quite tragic when a fire does happen so we definitely want to reduce that and prevent that if we can, said Regina’s Fire Chief Layne Jackson.
Jackson joined Mayor Michael Fougere and Government Relations Minister Warren Kaeding at Regina Fire Station 4 on Tuesday to kick off the annual public safety campaign.
He advises people to keep cooking areas clear of anything that could catch fire. Also, not to leave cooking pots unattended.
“We want you in the kitchen, watching that cooking,” Jackson said. “We all can be tempted to leave and just go do something. That’s when a fire can happen.
A few other tips include keeping working smoke alarms and talking about fire safety with children.
Fougere said along with cooking, careless smoking is another major cause of fires.
“Almost every one of them is preventable. That’s the tragedy of it, but also the opportunity to make it better,” he said.