Written by Julia Slater   Reader's Digest - October 2010

Each year, roughly 300 people die and 2,500 are injured in 50,000 fires across Canada.  Reader's Digest asked Fire Prevention Canada how most home fires start-and how to prevent them.

•  Cooking is the cause of most residential-fire injuries. Keep tight-fitting lids beside your pots and pans whenever you cook.

Tips:  If a grease fire sparks, quickly slide a lid over the pan to snuff out the flame. Never pour water onto the fire.  When deep-frying, use only a thermostatically controlled fryer.  It will keep the oil from heating beyond the target temperature.

•  Smoking is the cause of most residential-fire deaths. One typical scenario involves glowing embers dropping from a smoker's cigarette and into the folds of upholstered furniture. The embers remain hidden but smouldering for hours, then ignite.

Tips:  Always check the smoking areas of your home.  And always soak the contents of your ashtrays with water before disposing of them.

•  More and more often, candles are the cause of residential fires, especially during holiday season.

Tips:  Keep candles away from other combustibles, kids and pets.

•  Smoke alarms often don't work properly-this is the case in half of residential fires. Usually it's a result of human error (i.e., a dead battery, the power is turned off).

Tips:  Install alarms in the areas outside of bedrooms and on each additional level of your home.  Test alarms monthly, even if they are hard-wired, and replace them every ten years.

Clean them twice a year by wiping the outside with a damp cloth and gently vacuuming the inside with a brush attachment.

•  Wiring and electrical appliances are hidden hazards.

Tips:  Keep your appliances in good repair.  And avoid relying on extension cords:  They have less carrying capacity and, because they're longer, overheat more readily.

Also, don't overload outlets.  Install an "arc fault circuit interrupter" on your breaker panel to protect against unintended electrical arcs in home wiring.