Cooler weather brings fire safety concerns

Oct 7, 2020 | 9:19 AM

The weather in the North Okanagan is expected to be much cooler and wetter by this weekend, and that means people are heating things up.

“There are a lot of potential hazards when it comes to heating according to Captain Dan Walker, the fire prevention officer at Vernon Fire Rescue Service.

Captain Dan Walker, VFRS fire prevention officer.

The National Fire Prevention Association lists heating fires as a leading cause of fire-related deaths, with half of those fires taking place from December to February.

Space heaters cause four out of five fatal heating fires. It is recommended that you have a one-metre zone around heaters free of any debris and flammable materials and they are plugged into a wall outlet not an extension cord or power bar.