The beginning of the fall season kicks off the peak time of year for cooking fires and fires caused by heating equipment. With the temperatures cooling off, we’re caught between the blistering heat of summer and chilling months of winter. It is tempting to break out the mini space heater when needed and give the HVAC system a break, but before you start dusting off those heating devices, take a look at these facts from the National Fire Protection Association: 

• “Heating equipment fires accounted for 15% of all reported home fires in 2012-2016 (second behind cooking) and 19% of home fire deaths. 
• “The leading factor contributing to home heating fires (27%) was failure to clean, principally from solid-fueled heating equipment, primarily chimneys. 
• “The leading factor contributing to ignition for home heating fire deaths (54%) was heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattress, or bedding. 
• “Most home heating fire deaths (86%) involved stationary or portable space heaters.” 

Space Heater Safety Tips

Before firing up that space heater, take a look at these tips for keeping your home from going up in flames: 

• Never leave it unattended. 
• Keep it away from furniture and drapes. 
• Only plug it directly into the wall. 
• Place it on a flat, level surface.  
• Unplug and safely store it when not in use. 

Cooking Safety Tips

Before dragging out those pots and pans, see how you can ensure a safer food-preparation area with these safety tips: 

• Do not leave your stove unattended when cooking. 
• Use extreme caution when cooking with hot grease. 
• Keep a fire extinguisher handy when cooking or grilling. 
• Store your grill in the garage, breezeway, carport, porch, under an awning, or under any surface that cannot catch fire. 
• Never use gasoline or kerosene to light a fire. Both can cause an explosion.