Daylight saving time returns at 2 a.m. Sunday, when we move our clocks ahead one hour.

While that means we will have an extra hour of sunshine to enjoy outdoor activities, it also represents a good time to check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

The National Fire Protection Association and the National Safety Council report that in 2023, fire departments across the United States responded to 332,000 home fires. Those blazes resulted in 2,890 deaths and 10,190 injuries, the numbers show. Property damage from those fires totaled $11 billion. Overall, there were 1,389,000 fires in the U.S., which resulted in 3,670 civilian deaths and 13,350 civilian injuries.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, it is estimated that in 2023, cooking was the cause of 167,800 fires. There were 31,500 unintentional or careless fires, 27,900 fires related to heating and 23,700 electrical malfunction fires.

On average, the numbers show, a fire department will respond to a fire somewhere in the United States every 21 seconds. One home structure fire is reported every 95 seconds, and one home fire-related injury happens every 52 minutes. Sadly, there is a death attributable to a home fire every three hours and 12 minutes.

Firefighters also are at risk when they answer a call, with 63,175 injuries occurring in the line of duty in 2023, a number that represents a 4 percent decrease from the 65,650 injuries reported in 2022, according to the NFPA.

Sadly, there were 89 deaths of on-duty firefighters reported.

Smoke detectors save lives and limit property damage. In a fire, smoke and deadly gases tend to spread farther and faster than heat. Most victims of fires die from smoke or toxic gases and not from burns.

The time to talk about smoke detectors is before a fire breaks out. Their warning can give you the precious seconds needed to escape a burning house. They are inexpensive to purchase and, in some communities, detectors are available for reduced fees or at no charge.

Installation is easy, and can be accomplished by just about anyone. Local fire departments can be called for help in placing smoke detectors throughout the home. Experts say the best configuration includes one alarm on each floor of the house and inside sleeping areas.

Smoke alarms aren’t effective if they aren’t working properly. Test the alarms once a month by pushing the test button and observing that the lights flash and the alarm sounds loudly.

Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms do save lives. The fire protection association says almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms.

The biggest causes for an alarm to fail to function properly are missing, disconnected or dead batteries. Surveys show that almost one-third of all smoke detectors fall into that category, and that situation is as bad as not having a smoke detector at all.

Consider the time to spring ahead as the time to double check those batteries. While you’re at it, clean your smoke alarm and, if it is more than 10 years old, consider replacing it.

Stay safe, enjoy the extra daylight coming our way and remember: Barring an act of Congress, we will return to Eastern Standard Time at 2 a.m. Nov. 2.