Home Fires Expected to Spike
Indoor heaters are likely to increase residential blazes, but Cobb County fire officials offer tips to avoid common mistakes.
Winter has arrived with a frigid roar, bringing attention to the fact that residential fires usually peak during the winter as residents find a variety of ways to heat their homes. Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services officials say wood-burning stoves, electric space heaters, kerosene heaters, fireplaces and furnaces contribute to the increase in home fires in December, January and February. Lt. Joseph Bryant said space heaters are a major problem if placed too close to combustible materials or left unattended. A space heater should be three feet from flammable materials—bedding, newspapers, magazines, fabrics from curtains and clothing—and in an area where a child or pet would be unlikely to knock it over, he said. "Just make sure …
