Firefighters issue reminder after battling 5 structure fires this month
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IDAHO FALLS — As temperatures drop, Idaho Falls firefighters have found themselves battling several fires in recent weeks.
With lower temperatures increasing the use of space heaters, the Idaho Falls Fire Department has noted multiple heating and electrical issues causing fires in the area. In January, firefighters have already responded to five major structure fires.
“The majority of these fires have been electrical in nature,” IFFD Fire Prevention Capt. Glade Prestwich said. “Meaning that there has been some sort of malfunction in the home electrical system or the electrical appliance that has caused these fires.”
The fire department notes people should only use small portable heaters according to the owner’s manual and turn them off when leaving. Prestwich said the heaters should only be a temporary source of warmth as prolonged use can be unsafe.
“This time of year, when it gets cold, people have a tendency to use portable space heaters,” Prestwich said. “The problem arises when they try to use too many space heaters … too many space heaters plugged into a common circuit has a tendency to overload that circuit.”
When circuits get overloaded and find a weak spot in wiring, Prestwich explained it could lead to a fire, particularly when near something combustible.
“The best way when utilizing electric heating appliances (is) one heating appliance per outlet,” Prestwich said.
Experts warn against using extension cords or power strips and plugging the portable space heaters directly into the wall. It is also good practice to keep children, animals or anything that can burn at least three feet away from the heat source.
“Another problem we see when people start using supplemental heating appliances (is) they will bring heating appliances that work on combustion,” Prestwich said. “They are burning some type of fuel and most of those appliances aren’t approved for using within a home.”
When such heat sources like those burning propane are used inside, they replace oxygen within the house with carbon monoxide. If levels of the toxic gas get too high, people can die, something IFFD Fire Marshal Scott Grimmett has seen before in his career.
“I’ve responded to at least two fatalities over the years from people using propane tanks or construction heaters containing combustible fuel inside their homes,” Grimmett said in a news release. “(These) should only be used in larger ventilated spaces with appropriate airflow; they should not be used indoors.”
The Idaho Falls Fire Department includes a list of fire prevention techniques on their website you can find here.