KEEP an eye on unattended appliances, even as the weather warms up.
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That's the message from the Wimmera's Country Fire Authority division, after seven house fires in as many weeks.
Acting assistant Chief Fire Officer Eddie Lacko said recent wet weather meant there was a higher potential for electrical shorts to occur.
"I would encourage people to book and electrical inspector and get a safety switch on their house if they don't have one," he said.
"There are a lot of houses that have the older-style safety switches or none at all."
Mr Lacko said all six house fires before Sunday were due to electrical faults.
On August 27, fire in Jeparit displaced a family.
On September 21, a house in King Street, Stawell, went up in flames.
On September 24, a house fire destroyed a rural property east of Dimboola.
On October 1, a house fire extensively damaged a house in Rainbow, before another fire in the same town on October 12.
On October 5, an electrical fault caused a Horsham family to lose their Olympic Street home, and one of their cats.
Ararat Detective Senior Constable Caroline Blackley said on Monday afternoon this fire was not being treated as suspicious.
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Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
