Emergency services were called to a Rosedale house fire on Monday, May 6, after the decking caught fire.
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Batemans Bay Fire and Rescue said they attended the fire at Tallwood Crescent, Rosedale at 3.14pm.
The spokesman believed the fire ignited after occupants stained the decking with oil and left the rags against the house.
"Because the decking oil was oil-based ... with the sun reflecting on it, we had ignition," he said.
The spokesman said the fire blew out glass panels in a door and the house was filled with smoke.
He said smoke detectors went off and a neighbour two doors up put out the fire.
When Fire and Rescue arrived, the decking was still smouldering.
Rural Fire Service crews also attended the scene.
"We stuck around and exhausted the smoke out of the house by using a Positive Pressure Ventilation fan," the Fire and Rescue spokesman said.
He said the occupants were not home.
The spokesman said this kind of fire can occur "especially if (the product) is oil-based, full of combustion".
"More importantly, hardware stores recommend to submerge the rags in water after use and then dispose of them," he said.
