• Half of all home fires occur in the months of December, January & February• Heating equipment is involved in 1 of every 7 reported home fires and 1 in every 5 home fire deaths• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from any source of heat like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters.• Keep portable generators outside, away from windows and as far away as possible from your home. Install and test carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month• Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year. • Plug 1 heat producing appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.

Statistics to share

The threat of winter fires is real. Use these statistics to help your community understand how severe these fires can be.• 890 people die in winter home fires each year.• $2 billion in property loss occurs each year from winter home fires.• Winter home fires account for only 8 percent of the total number of fires in the U.S., but result in 30 percent of all fire deaths.• Cooking is the leading cause of all winter home fires.• A heat source too close to combustibles is the leading factor contributing to the start of a winter home fire (15 percent).• 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. is the most common time for winter home fires.