Local fire chiefs warn house fires can still happen in any season

House fires seem to occur more often during the winter months, but that does not mean they stop when summer rolls in.

NORTH MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Housefires are usually associated with the colder months, but they also happen as temperatures heat up.

Chief Duane Hughes in Columbus and Chief Guyvester Dobbs in Aberdeen agreed that most fires that happen in the winter are electrical, but summer months can come from a lack of being aware.

House fires seem to occur more often during the winter months, but that does not mean they stop when summer rolls in.

“They don’t disappear in the summertime,” Hughes said. “The homes we’ve been going to lately, most of them have been abandoned structures or empty residences. We have individuals that are homeless that will come in. In the winter they’ll start fires to stay warm during the summer they’ll engage in activities like cooking or smoking.”

According to networx.com, 8% of house fires happen in the summer while over 10% happen in December and January alone.

Hughes and Dobbs agreed that they see more fires during the winter months in the area.

“Aberdeen does have a burn permit, and if you purchase a burn permit for $11, if your neighbor complains, you still have to put it out. Most people want to burn when the wind is blowing, and that’s the wrong time to burn,” Dobbs said.

“A lot of the homes where we go into fires were built in the early ’70s and early ’80s and those homes are not wired to carry the electrical load that a modern appliance demands today,” said Hughes.

Both fire chiefs encouraged people to be cautious of grilling too close to their homes this summer and to be sure to dispose of hot charcoal properly, and there are some other things homeowners can do to keep their homes safe.

“When you leave home make sure your curling irons, iron, any kind of electronic make sure it’s unplugged just because you have it plugged up doesn’t mean it won’t cause a fire,” said Dobbs.

Both of the chiefs encouraged people to contact their local fire departments to inspect their homes during the summer and winter months

“Check in your home it can be something as simple as checking the lint traps on your dryers and making sure they’re cleaned out going out and maybe looking at the accumulation of leaves and other litter that’s near your home that may lead to instances of fires,” said Hughes.

Columbus has seen 47 housefires this year.

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