Firefighters stress safety tips for Christmas trees, winter heating

Cold weather fires

It is a good time of year to check smoke alarms and batteries to make sure alarms work properly, Stanaland said.

As weather turns colder, a number of heating-related fires are reported each year.

A fire damaged a house in Oklahoma City in late November because a space heater was too close to combustibles, Stanaland said. No injuries were reported.

Natural gas-burning heaters and furnaces should be checked to make sure they don't pose carbon monoxide dangers.

Fireplace logs can roll out onto the carpet if not held in with proper grates and screens. Also, chimney fires are common in winter, Stanaland said. Creosote builds up in the chimney and can catch fire.

And, one last tip, don't burn Christmas wrapping paper in the fireplace, he said.