January was a devastating month for fatal fires in the province.

Across Ontario, 21 people were killed in deadly blazes – more than double the average for the month. Of those deaths, two occurred in Waterloo Region last week.

On Sunday, a man was killed at an apartment fire in Kitchener. A cooking incident is the suspected cause.

A day later, a man died in a house fire in Cambridge, and in Brampton three brothers lost their lives in a fire.

"Anytime it’s young people it’s particularly tragic," said Jon Pegg, Fire Marshal of Ontario.

While the cause of these fires remains under investigation, Pegg said most deaths across the province could have been avoided

"When you’re looking at averages, we’re just seeing so many, so many deaths that are, in my opinion, preventable," Pegg said. "These are able-bodied individuals. Most of them did not have working smoke alarms. And if they did have working smoke alarms, I think we would’ve had a different outcome."

Pegg called smoke alarms "really the only shot at getting you and your family out."

"They give you that early notification and allow you time to get out of a house fire," he continued.

The next step is to have an escape plan so you know what to do when that alarm goes off, said Pegg.

Officials say winter brings an increase in fires with space heaters, furnaces and candles all potential sources. Cooking remains the number one cause of house fires.

"Never leave your stove unattended while cooking," said Eric Yates, chief fire prevention officer for the City of Cambridge. "And certainly if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, we recommend you just do not cook."

"We can’t say enough about having working smoke alarms in your home," Yates said.

Even if all fires can't be prevented, deaths usually can.

"I just need people to take that more seriously,” Pegg said. “And realize fires can happen to everybody and they do happen to everybody."