This Sunday daylight savings ends, and Fire and Emergency is asking everyone to check on their smoke alarms.
Photo: Pexels
Adviser Peter Gallagher said the warning is especially important while people are at home during the lockdown.
"The reason we need working smoke alarms is when we sleep, we lose our sense of smell, which means the only thing that will alert you to a fire is a smoke alarm, most supermarkets and some online stores are continuing to sell smoke alarms as an essential commodity, they're essential to keep your family safe."
Gallagher said firefighters are still going to callouts during the lockdown and need people to make as much effort as possible to be fire safe.
Fire and Emergency are also warning those working and studying from home during lockdown to check they are not creating a fire hazard in their home.
Gallagher said electrical sockets can only safely carry the load they were designed for - and if there is only one socket, then only one appliance should be plugged into it.
"Our biggest cause of fire in New Zealand is still unattended cooking, but a very close second is the electrical malfunction, often cause by overloading of sockets, that's the number two for causing fires in New Zealand."
Gallagher said hundreds of building fires are caused by overloaded electrical sockets each year, risking the lives of those inside the building, and the firefighters who respond.
Clocks go back an hour at 3am.
Read more about the Covid-19 coronavirus:
- See all RNZ Covid-19 news
- A timeline: How the coronavirus started, spread and stalled life in New Zealand
- Covid-19 symptoms: What they are and how they make you feel
- Touching your Face: Why do we do it and how to stop
- Scientific hand-washing advice to avoid infection
- Coronavirus: A glossary of terms
- The Coronavirus Podcast
