Seattle Fire Department Reminds Residents To Check For Fire Hazards Before You Leave Your Home

Press release from the Seattle Fire Department:

May 1, 2020

Recent fires in West Seattle and Wallingford at home construction sites provide reminders about the importance of making sure fire hazards are removed before going away for any period of time. In both cases, the cause of the fire was undetermined. While those recent fires were at construction sites, the same guidelines apply to occupied homes.

Before you leave – tips for inside the home:

1. Always turn off portable heaters and unplug them from the electrical outlet.
2. Unplug all appliance that have a heating device such as toasters, rice cookers and space heaters.
3. Make sure the stove, oven and clothes dryer are off.
4. Make sure candles, incense, wood burning stove and fireplace are out.

Before you leave- tips for outside the home:

1. Clear gutters of dry leaves and remove branches that are touching the home.
2. Keep piles of combustibles such as wood chips or wood materials at least 10 feet away from the home.
3. Consider putting fencing around construction projects that are long term in nature.
4. Consider installing motion senor lights outside the home.
5. Let neighbors know that your home will be vacant and to report concerns.

This press release was produced by the Seattle Fire Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.