City Of Golden Valley: Keep The Fire In Your Fireplace This Winter

Press release from the City of Golden Valley:

November 24, 2021

Throughout winter, Minnesotans participate in multiple activities that involve keeping warm and celebrating holidays, or both. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MN DPS) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) share the following fire safety messages to keep Minnesotans safe this winter.

Heating Fires

According to the MN DPS, most home fires occur in the winter and peak in January. Also, most Minnesota heating fires occur in fireplaces and chimneys. These heating fire hazards can easily be avoided by taking a few precautionary measures.

Keep portable heaters at least 3 feet away from flammable items and always turn them off when leaving the room or going to sleep. Also, it’s important to have your home heating system and chimney cleaned annually. And remember, it is never a good idea to use your oven to heat your home.

Cooking Fires

According to the NFPA, in 2018 the three leading dates for home structure fires caused by cooking were Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the day before Thanksgiving. Cooking fires have also caused an average of $4.5 million in damage each of the last five years in Minnesota, according to the MN DPS.

The best way to avoid cooking fires is to never leave cooking food unattended and to keep combustible items, like oven mitts, towels, and wooden spoons, at least 3 feet from the stove.

Candle Fires

Although decorating for the holiday season may brighten up cold days and long nights, when used incorrectly, decorations could become a fire hazard. According to the MN DPS, two out of five home decoration fires are started by candles, and candles are the third leading cause of structure fires in Minnesota.

To lower the risk of candle-related fires, try decorating with flameless candles, as most offer the same flicker effect and come in scented varieties. If you use traditional candles, keep them in a sturdy container than cannot be tipped over, and extinguish them before leaving the room or going to sleep.

GVFD Responds To Fire Started By Candles

The Golden Valley Fire Department recently responded to a call for a water flow alarm. When crews arrived, they found no one home but candles were lit throughout the home. In the bathroom, a candle was lit on the back of the toilet and had caught a hand towel on fire. Fortunately, the fire triggered the sprinkler head in the bathroom, which extinguished the fire, prior to first responders arriving. Without the sprinkler, the fire would have likely grown much larger, according to the GVFD.

This press release was produced by the City of Golden Valley. The views expressed here are the author’s own.