With everything going on in Australia, we've been hearing a lot about fires lately.

Even though this is happening on the other side of the world, it's important to stay educated about fire safety and prevention right here in Colorado.

While Colorado hasn't faced anything quite like the Australia fires, the state has seen its fair share of wildfires. Thankfully, wildfires allow us a certain amount of time to plan.

"With a wildfire scenario, a lot of times there's a little bit more warning," said Melissa Venable, executive director of the American Red Cross Northern Colorado Chapter. "Emergency responders will come through and let you know if you need to evacuate, so you might have a little bit more time to prepare."

Home fires, on the other hand, do not come with a warning. This is why it is so important to have a fire safety plan before this event ever occurs.

An essential part of this plan is to have a working smoke alarm, especially near or in bedrooms. The Red Cross will even install them in your home for free through their Sound the Alarm campaign.

"In fires, truly, seconds count," said Venable. "Around 610 lives now have been saved because of Red Cross smoke alarms that were installed in homes that then did catch fire."

Make sure you and your children know how to get out of the house if there is a fire, and where to meet up afterwards.

It's also important to show your child what a fireman in gear looks like and remind them that they're there to help, as little children are often scared of firemen.

Ideally though, prevention tactics should be enough to stop a home fire from starting.

"If you have candles burning, blow them out. Make sure they're placed where they can't catch on fire," said Venable. "Make sure you turn off your burners...make sure that your space heaters are turned off. It just takes a few extra seconds of being conscious of what you're doing."

To learn more about fire safety and prevention, listen to the full "Tuned In to NoCo" interview with Melissa Venable below.

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