Smith County Fire Marshal Offers Winter Fire Prevention Tips

TYLER — “Structure fire season has started,” Fire Marshal Jay Brooks told KTBB on Thursday. Brooks said, “Every year we have a lot of fires resulting from combustible material that is left to close to space heaters. One of the things we encourage folks to do is make sure that space heaters are UL Listed, and that combustible items are kept at least 3 feet from a space heater at all times. Then, check the space heater to make sure that it has the Tip Feature; if they do fall over, they should shut themselves off.”

In Smith County, the busiest month in terms of total structure fires statistically is January, which accounts for nearly 12.5 percent of the year’s fires.” Half of the home heating fires occur in December, January and February. Heating equipment is involved in one in every seven reported home fires, and one in every five home fire deaths, according to FEMA and the U.S. Fire Administration. Here are a few tips to avoid house fires during the winter months:

Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from any heat sources, such as fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters.

Install and test carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month.

Plug only one heat-producing appliance, such as a space heater, into an electrical outlet at a time.

Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year.

Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container and keep it outside at least 10 feet away from your home or any nearby buildings.