DUNFERMLINE'S new fire chief says the message still has to get through that smoke alarms save lives.

Station commander Russell Hammell highlighted the early warning systems that helped make sure the 24 blazes in homes in this area last year weren't more serious.

The "vast majority" of those fires, an improvement from 32 in 2019-20, started in the kitchen due to cooking.

Damage was limited in most cases and 63 per cent of the incidents were resolved before firefighters got there or by removal from heat source.

Mr Hammell's report to the City of Dunfermline area committee said there was "a trend of reduction in severity" and added: "This can be attributed to the high number of detection systems being fitted by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and partners, which give an early warning of fire.

"However, it should be noted that 58 per cent of accidental fires did not have any detection."

There were no deaths in the accidental dwelling fires, same as in 2019-20, and the number of casualties halved from 10 to five.

Of the casualties, being asleep at the time was a factor in 55 per cent of cases, and alcohol a factor in 45 per cent.

Due to COVID, activities like home safety visits to those considered to be at greater risk of fire were curtailed but they still managed 141 over the year.

There were 24 deliberate primary fires, which include buildings, caravans, motor vehicles, plant and machinery, woodland and crops, in the Dunfermline area in 2020-21 which was the same as the previous year.

Deliberate secondary fires, typically the burning of rubbish, grass and derelict properties, climbed from 66 to 73.

The number of unwanted fire alarm signals, or false alarms, fell from 233 to 186 and just over half came from NHS Fife buildings or schools.

There were four flooding incidents, two caused by burst pipes, one was advice only and the other was a frightening incident where a car was removed from floodwater while an adult and child were inside.

The fire service generally attend more serious road traffic collisions where casualties are trapped, so Mr Hammell explained that the figures did not include every crash on the roads.

Last year, they went to nine, compared to 14 in 2019-20.

There were no deaths and five casualties, both improvements from the previous 12 months.