This winter’s extreme cold weather has resulted in more calls to the Fire Department.
The Clearview Fire Department has responded to eight calls about structure fires so far this year. Typically, that number is about four by this time.
“It’s probably the cold weather,” explained Roree Payment, Clearview’s Acting Deputy Fire Chief. “Cold weather plays havoc with a lot of things.”
When the weather dips to the kinds of temperatures this area has recently experienced, people do all sorts of things to try to keep their homes warm and their pipes from freezing – some of them unsafe such as leaving portable heaters on in barns, Payment said.
The Fire Department has also noticed an increase in chimney fires. Payment reported that half the reported fires began in chimneys.
Chimneys should be inspected regularly for cracks and maintained to ensure they are safe.
Fire Prevention Canada says that winter is the worst season for residential fires in Canada. This is because people heat their homes, eat indoors more often and may smoke inside instead of going out.
The Canada Safety Council recommendations for minimizing the risk of fire include: keeping at least one metre of space around space heaters; always using a screen in front of a fireplace; developing a fire escape plan and reviewing it with your family; and never overloading electrical outlets.
For more information on reducing the risk of fire in your home, visit www.canadasafetycouncil.org.