Safety tips to prevent space heater fires during winter months

Temperatures around the Coachella Valley continue to drop as a cold front and high-winds linger. The cooler weather may be enough to cause some people to dust off their space heaters for warmth at night. Although these portable heaters can be convenient, they can also be extremely dangerous and even deadly.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission around 1,700 fires, 160 injuries, and 80 deaths are caused by portable space heaters every year.

Another study, conducted by the National Fire Protection Association, found heating equipment is the number one cause of house fires, especially between the months of December and January. They also reported 81% of deadly house fires were caused by space heaters.

The top reason for heating equipment fires was failure to clean equipment correctly, according to a 2021 NFPA report. The second leading cause for space heater fires is when the heater is too close to highly flammable items, like furniture, clothing or bedding.

“We're gonna have numerous calls over the next couple of nights because of this issue," said Ronald Skyberg, a Captain with the Palm Springs Fire Department. It's a problem he says happens every year, especially during colder weather.

“It's gonna get cold here in the next couple of days. We have a cold front coming through with some mild to moderate gusts, ultimately, people are gonna get super cold, and they're gonna go out to the store and they're gonna buy space heaters," he said.

Captain Skyberg also had plenty of tips to help prevent fires caused by improper use of space heaters.

“Floor heaters need to be put on the ground in an appropriate, upright, position plugged directly into the wall outlet, not into a power strip. Because if there's a power strip, it's going to overheat and it's going to cause a fire. We also want to make sure that flammable liquids are about three feet away,” he said. “One of the biggest concerns that we have with the fire department is actually leaving it plugged in to an outlet over nighttime.”

He also mentioned they see a few burn calls every year caused by heating devices.

"If it's a first degree burn, and it's something real small or minor, and you don't think that 9-1-1 needs to be called, then take care of it with the first aid products that you have at home," Skyberg advised. "If it's an actual burn in which we need to be called out, call 9-1-1 and we'll be there to evaluate the burn victim.”

And make sure to unplug those devices when you leave the room or go to bed.

"One of the biggest concerns that we have with the fire department is actually leaving it plugged in to an outlet over nighttime," said Captain Skyberg. "Ultimately, if there is any type of overheating going on and you fill the cord and it's warm or hot to the touch, just unplug it.”

Here's a few additional tips to help stay safe and warm if you plan on using a portable heater:

1. Keep anything flammable at least three feet away from heating equipment.
2. Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving a room or going to bed.
3. Use the appropriate type of fuel required by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters.
4. Create and maintain a three-foot kid-free and pet-free zone around heaters, home fireplaces and space heaters.
5. Electric heaters of any type are unsafe to leave running overnight, so make sure to set a timer to turn them off before you go to bed.
6. Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet. Do not use an extension cord or power strip, which could overheat and result in a fire.
7. Do not plug any other electrical devices into the same outlet as the heater.

And if you notice your heater is starting to catch on fire, call for emergency help.

“If you smell smoke, if you see smoke, if there is actually a flame, or if there's any type of heating behind the wall. That's when we want you to call 9-1-1," assured Skyberg. "And then when you call 9-1-1. We'll be at your house in three to five minutes.”