Vancouver Fire urges caution as colder weather prompts more heater use
Posted January 9, 2024 5:18 pm.
As the temperature drops, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services is urging people to take precautions with their home heating devices.
Portable space heaters are the leading cause of home fires during winter months, according to the Canadian Red Cross. Home fires can happen anywhere at anytime, it adds, but are most common between December and March.
While there’s something special about curling up by a fireplace or space heater with a good book and a blanket, Vancouver Fire says if left unattended, this is the kind of situation that can quickly turn deadly.
To stay safe during this winter blast, firefighters say anything that can burn should be kept at least one metre away from heating equipment, likes furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, or portable heaters. That one metre zone should also be “kid-free,” they add, to keep children safe.
Other advice firefighters are offering includes never using your oven to heat your home, having a professional install stationary heaters, getting heaters professionally cleaned every year, never leaving heaters unattended, using the right kind of fuel, when applicable, and making sure fireplaces have sturdy screens placed around them to protect against sparks.
Testing smoke alarms at least once a month and cleaning lint out of dryers are two practices everyone should also already be doing, to protect against fires, they add.
Finally, firefighters say installing and maintaining carbon monoxide alarms will also help avoid the risk of poisoning from a leaky gas heater.
Vancouver Fire adds all heaters must be approved for use in Canada and for indoor use.
