It comes as the latest research from the Country Fire Authority and newly formed Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) found that only one in 10 Victorian households has smoke alarms installed in these recommended areas, putting them at risk of serious injury or death.

The research, in the form of a survey, found that only 11 per cent of Victorians believe that fires commonly start in the bedroom.

But data reveals a different story. CFA data reveals that of the 17,000 residential fires attended by the CFA in the past decade, more than 400 resulted in death or serious injury.

Of these fires almost half started in sleeping or living areas - 25 per cent started in bedrooms, 23 per cent in lounge areas and 15 per cent in kitchens.

The data reveals that 22 people have died due to fires which started in bedrooms during the past 10 years. In addition, 121 people sustained serious injuries.

There have been 26 fatalities and 105 serious injuries as a result of fires starting in lounge areas, while kitchen fires have resulted in 10 fatalities and 77 serious injuries.

While in the past the advice from fire authorities was that having a smoke alarm in a hallway was sufficient, this has recently been updated to encourage people to install smoke alarms in living and sleeping areas too, in line with this data.

The CFA's acting manager of community safety for the west region, Tony Brady, oversees all community-based education programs and is also a volunteer with Sebastopol Fire Brigade.

He said firefighters attended at least one residential house fire - of varying degrees in severity - across the region each week.

Mr Brady said there had been fires in the region which had resulted in a death or a total loss of property, which is why it was so important to take precautions - with the best being a working smoke alarm located in the correct areas of the home.

"A smoke alarm is really important to warn people about a fire," Mr Brady said.

As the sense of smell is inhibited when a person is asleep, smoke alarms - which sound a loud, repetitive noise - can be life saving devices.

Most people have a smoke alarm in a hallway outside the bedroom area, in line with the law, however according to the CFA, research indicates that if a bedroom door is closed and a fire starts inside the bedroom, the smoke alarm in the hall will not activate.

Even with the door open, the smoke alarm may not activate quickly enough to warn everybody in the home to evacuate.

In modern homes, built with plastics and synthetic materials, if a fire starts the occupants have less than three minutes to wake up and evacuate.

Research also indicates that children almost never wake up if a smoke alarm activates, so the recommendation that smoke alarms be interconnected - so that if one alarm activates, they all do - is vital given that in modern homes the parent's bedroom is in a separate part of the house.

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This gives families the greatest chance of surviving should a fire start in the home.

"Where they can't be interconnected, we strongly recommend that a separate smoke alarm be placed in an area where you're sleeping," Mr Brady said.

The most common causes of fires in sleeping and living areas are fixed or portable heating units, open fireplaces or faults with electrical items such as electric blankets, making it a pertinent reminder during winter.

"It is our ultimate aim to not have any fatalities involved with structure fires," Mr Brady said.

Victorian law has stated it is the responsibility of all owners and landlords to install working smoke alarms in all homes, units, flats and townhouses since August 1, 1997.

Smoke alarms should be tested monthly and replaced every 10 years. A smoke alarm powered by a 10-year lithium battery negates the requirement to change the battery every year.

For more information, visit the CFA website.

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