Firefighters remind homeowners about winter safety

BUHL, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — This week’s colder temperatures probably mean you’re cranking up the heat. But you’ll also want to practice safety, as local firefighters report more fires during the wintertime.

Buhl Rural Fire Protection District Chief Andrew Stevens said that one in six fires in the winter is caused by heating equipment. Last winter, they responded to between 10 and 20 structure fires.

The common cause of fires during the winter? Space heaters.

“If you are going to use a space heater, only plug that into one dedicated outlet,” Chief Stevens said. “Don’t plug it in with other equipment or on a power strip or something like that with other electrical devices. Keep it at least three feet from any other material.”

Chief Stevens said you should turn off your space heater when leaving the room or going to bed.

Keeping any vents in your house clear of any objects is also essential.

“That includes any outdoor vents around your house,” Chief Stevens said. “So, if you have a dryer, a dryer vent that runs outside of your home, make sure it’s clear. Make sure that the snow is not covering any of those.”

If you use a fireplace to keep the house warm, dispose of the ashes by putting them outside in a steel container away from anything flammable. Also, make sure your chimney is clean. Not getting your heating system checked before you use it can also create issues.

“You want to call a heating and air conditioning company beforehand, before you start having any issues to make sure everything is working properly, and you can change your filters on a regular basis,” Chief Stevens said.

It is also essential to have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the house and test them regularly, as fire departments also note more carbon monoxide incidents this time of year.

“Just because more heating equipment, more sources of carbon monoxide might be used in the winter,” Chief Stevens said.

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