Local fire crews warn of heating hazards in cold weather

EVANS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - With temperatures as low as they are and as low as they’re going to get this weekend, it’s important to be aware of fire hazards when trying to keep warm.

We talked to Columbia County Fire Rescue about what you need to watch out for.

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According to the U.S. Fire Administration, heating is one of the leading causes of residential fires in the nation.

Lt. Evan Davis at the Columbia County Fire Rescue says around this time of year, the fire rescue gets multiple calls about fires started from supplemental heating sources.

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He says one of the most common is chimney fires.

“Chimney fires occur, and houses that are using natural wood for wood burning fireplaces, and those chimney fires usually are caused because chimneys are not inspected, or they haven’t been used in a number of years,” said Davis.

If you use space heaters, you may want to make sure yours has a specific safety feature. If not, you could be in trouble.

“Newer units have safety switches where if they roll over, knocked over by a pet or a child, they’ll automatically shut off. If they don’t have their safety features, and they’re a little bit older, they could cause electrical fires,” he said.

Davis also says if you’re using those space heaters, keep them away from pets and children and especially furniture.

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