Homeowners can dramatically decrease their risk of house fires by following simple steps to prepare for and prevent these disasters.
Cal Fire Stopped by with some useful tips.
- Fireplace/ Stove Safety – Have your chimney or flue inspected and cleaned annually, don’t burn trash in your fireplace, use a fireplace screen, do not leave a fire unattended, and cool ashes before removing them for proper disposal.
- Space Heater Safety – Keep anything flammable at least 3 feet away from space heaters, turn it off when you leave the room or go to bed, and maintain a “kid-free zone” at least 3 feet around heaters to prevent burns and/or accidents. Do not use your oven or any propane heaters for indoor home heating. Ensure you have a working carbon monoxide alarm and smoke alarm on every level of your home.
- Christmas Tree Safety – Place the tree away from heat sources (candles, fireplace, heater vent), pick a fresh, green tree, check the water level daily, and do not exceed manufacturers’ recommendations when plugging in strings of lights together, this may overheat the lights and/or overload the circuit.
- Fire Extinguisher Tips– Especially during the holidays, always keep a fire extinguisher close by, just in case. We always encourage everyone to use PASS. Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.
