Twin Cities, Minnesota

... Winter hazard awareness week... day three... winter fire safety
facts...

- cooking was the number one cause of residential fires in
   2008... accounting for 48 percent of fires. Open flames and
   heating fires were the number two and three causes.
- Most heating fires in Minnesota involve fireplaces or
   chimneys.
- Almost three-quarters of fire deaths occur in the home...
   making it the most dangerous place to be with regard to fire.
- 26 percent of home fire deaths in 2007 occurred in homes
   without working smoke detectors.

Safety information...

- turn off portable heating appliances when leaving the home
   or retiring for the evening. This includes verifying that
   a fire in the fireplace has been fully extinguished.
- Have at least three feet of clearance between any heating
   equipment... and anything that can burn. Keep children and
   loose clothing away from any heating equipment.
- Have chimneys... fireplaces and other heating devices
   professionally inspected prior to the start of every
   heating season.
- Use a sturdy screen or glass closure in front of your
   fireplace... and burn only clean fireplace wood.
- Make sure smoke detectors are installed on every level of
   your home... including your basement. Test them monthly.
- Place Holiday decorations well away from heat sources.
   If you use a tree... water it daily... as a dry tree can be
   consumed by fire in an instant... while generating enough
   heat to ignite the entire room.
- Unplug any Holiday lights or decorations before leaving the
   house or going to bed.

The above recommendations are courtesy of the Minnesota state
fire chiefs' association and the state fire marshal division.
For further information contact...
- your local Fire Department
- state fire marshal division... ... 651-201-7214
- state fire chiefs' association... 763-786-4436