14 holiday fires in Green Bay

GREEN BAY - The Green Bay Fire Department’s holiday wreath program wrapped up with 14 red bulbs.

Each bulb signifies a house fire from Nov. 22 through Jan. 1.

Fire officials say nine of the 14 fires were caused by unattended cooking. One candle fire occurred, a home repair caused another, two were electrical and one was arson.

To prevent more cooking fires, firefighters are offering the following tips:

• Stay in the kitchen while you're cooking
• If you have to walk away from the stove to answer the door, for example, turn the burners on low or preferably off and throw a towel over your shoulder as a reminder that you are cooking.
• Having a working smoke alarm will help to ensure that in the event that a fire does start, you will have plenty of time to take action.
• If a grease fire should happen to start on the stove, turn the burner off and place a lid or cookie sheet over the burning pan. Do not move the pan.

Winter months are especially dangerous for fires. The number one cause of fires is heating equipment during December, January, and February. Tips are as follows:

• Have your furnace inspected by a licensed technician annually. He or she will make sure that your furnace is running efficiently and check it out for damage and leaks which could lead to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
• Have your fireplace chimney inspected on a yearly basis. Soot buildup can easily cause a chimney fire.
• Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer. Place a CO detector in your home to warn you of a heating appliance malfunction.
• Ensure that you have a working smoke detector on each level of your home.