The National Fire Authority (NFA) is stepping up its awareness campaigns in a bid to keep to its strategic plan to reduce residential fires by 5% every year.

This is after statistics showed that so far this month, there have been 22 residential fires around the country, in comparison to August 2023 home fires standing at 16.

At 9.18am yesterday (Wednesday, 21st August, 2024), Korovou Fire Station received a running call from a police officer reporting a property fire past Nabulini Village, Wainibuka, approximately 42 kilometres from Korovou Town.

The on-duty crew responded immediately with 1 truck and 6 officers and upon arrival at the scene at 10.14am found a corrugated iron house full engulfed in flames.

The team got to work utilizing 1 delivery of 1 length from their tank supply and managed to extinguish the fire by 11.06am.

The house, normally occupied by 2 adults and 2 children, belonged to a 42-year-old farmer and was vacant at the time of the fire.

Meanwhile, earlier yesterday, the NFA Command Centre NCC received a call through the 910 emergency line at 6.05am, with a member of the public reporting a property fire at Koroqaqa, Baulevu Road, approximately 19 kilometres from Nausori Town.

The duty crew at Nausori Fire Station responded immediately with 1 truck and 4 officers, with support from Nakasi Fire Station, which provided 1 truck and 5 officers.

On arrival at 6.21am, the Nausori crew noticed a house on fire and immediately established 1 delivery of 2 lengths from their tank supply to battle the blaze and by 7.22am the fire had been extinguished.

The house belonged to a 31-year-old taxi driver, who was at home with his wife, 2 children and mother when the fire occurred.

Initial on-site investigations found that the fire started from the storage area and the homeowner initially tried to put the fire out with a garden hose, but the family had to escape when the spread quickly.

The four-bedroom house sustained 100% damage and the estimated cost of damage is between $80,000 to $90,000.

Investigations have started to determine the probable cause of fires.

NFA Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane expressed concern with the rising number of home fires, adding that the Authority was actively pursuing avenues to achieve a 5% yearly reduction in residential fires.

“The main vehicle for this is stepping up our awareness through community, house-to-house and school visits, where our officers relay fire safety and prevention messages,” he said.

“We are also stepping up our Integrated Community Fire Wardens and Emergency Response Framework, an NFA designed and implemented training program that is conducted free to all communities.

“It involves two weeks intensive training on firefighting skills concentrating on how to avoid unwanted fires, administrating of basic first aid and responding to any type of emergencies within your community.”

Mr Sowane said since the launching of the ICFW program in 2021, NFA has commissioned the program in 107 communities and trained 1842 community fire wardens. This is more than the number of trained firefighters employed by the NFA.

“Interestingly, despite our awareness efforts, residential fires continue to rise and we’re redoubling our efforts to arrest this trend,” he said.

“Our figures show that, even though this month has not ended, there are more structural fires, rubbish, cane and bush fires, road accident rescue calls and vehicle fires this year, compared to the same period last year. That’s a worry given that we’re still in the dry season.

“However, this will not stop our efforts to reduce fires in our communities.

“Our only other advice is for members of the public to call our emergency 910 line first before attempting to put out fires or retrieving their belongings from a burning house.”

-ENDS-