The fire was sparked by embers from a fire pit.
A working smoke alarm has been credited with saving the life of a Curlewis man after fire destroyed his two-storey home.
The alarm woke the resident shortly after 2am on Friday 25 July, giving him enough time to escape through the front door as flames engulfed the property's rear deck, second storey, and roof space.
CFA crews were called to the property alongside Fire Rescue Victoria to find the rear of the home fully alight, with flames climbing from the ground-level into the second storey.
Drysdale Fire Brigade Captain Brendan Macdonald, who was incident controller, said the resident was only able to escape because of his working smoke alarm.
"When we arrived, the whole rear of the home was alight. The resident's bedroom was on the upper level, directly above the fire," Brenan said.
"The fire was silent, and by the time he woke up the house was already full of smoke."
"He told us the smoke alarm absolutely saved his life."
Brendan said the fire started after embers from a fire pit ignited decking at the rear of the house.
"The occupant thought the fire pit was fully extinguished when he went inside. However, a breeze reignited the embers, which in turn ignited the deck.
"It's a stark reminder to fully extinguish any fire pit or campfire with water, never just leave it to burn down. Coals can stay hot for hours," he said.
Crews were able to stop the fire spreading to neighbouring properties, thanks largely to unincumbered access to a hydrant.
"This fire had the potential to spread, but quick action and access to hydrants helped us stop it," Brendan said.
He added that the incident serves as a strong reminder that simple safety steps can save lives.
"Thankfully in this instance the occupant escaped with the most important thing, his life," Brendan said.
"But it shows how vital it is to have a working smoke alarm.
"Smoke alarms save lives."
