Local fire departments are spreading awareness as the peak of “heating fire season” arrives.
According to a Facebook post from the Oakmont Volunteer Fire Department, December, January and February are the peak months for heating fires.
Space heaters are most often involved in these incidents, the post said.
“Stay safe by keeping space heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn, and always turn them off when leaving the room or going to bed,” the post said.
According to National Fire Protection Association, a global nonprofit organization that creates and maintains codes and standards for fire, electrical, and building safety, heating is one of the leading causes of house fires.
Heating equipment is also one of the leading causes of home fire deaths.
Fire departments responded to an average of about 37,000 fires involving heating equipment per year from 2020 to 2024, accounting for 11% of all reported home fires during that time. Those fires resulted in estimated annual 417 civilian deaths, 1,260 civilian injuries and $1.2 billion in property damages.
Brennan Sites, chief of Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 3, said the number one way to stay safe during fire season is to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for devices used for heating.
As a firefighter with over 20 years of experience, Sites said he has seen heating equipment fires started by people misusing devices. He said common cases include people who use ovens to heat their homes, overload circuit breakers or plug space heaters into extension cords.
“They can easily short circuit and melt those wires,” Sites said about extension cords.
He also recommended space heaters be placed in areas where there are not many things near them in case they overheat.
Sites said there are heating sources everywhere that can become fire hazards if they’re not operated correctly.
“If you have a chimney, get it professionally cleaned at least once a year,” Sites said.
It’s extremely important that people only burn what they’re supposed to in their chimney, he said. Burning plastic or garbage can cause a buildup in harmful chemicals. Hot, fast-burning plastics and chemicals can damage flues and potentially ignite chimney fires.
A part of being fire safe is being prepared in case an accident happens, Sites said.
“Always have working smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers,” he said. “You should have at least one carbon monoxide detector and one smoke detector on each floor of your home. They should be near where people sleep.”
Sites said he has smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in every room in his home.
“Anything can fail, whether its a space heater or wiring in a home,” Sites said. “(Heating equipment is) much safer when you use them how they’re supposed to be used. It’s just about common sense sometimes.”
