The risk of having fire in your homes is higher during winter months. The effects of fire is severe. We we want to do some prevention escape the experience the horrors caused by fire. There are Fire Departments in different states which conduct programs to increase the awareness of the people on how to do fire prevention and how to deal with it if it happens.

Below are Fire Prevention Tips.

External

The Landscape - The most likely source of fire outside your house the combustible materials which are plants particularly those which are highly combustible. You can remove them and plant less combustible plants. Or just provide ample space between the plants and your house.

Minimize if not eliminate shrubs and trees 30 feet closer to your homes. Like junipers, evergreen shrubs and trees like eucalyptus, they can contain oil, waxes of resins that make the plants more combustible. So to prevent fires from starting in landscape from the ground up, provide space between the plants and the house.

The House – Use a non-combustible "Class A" fire retardant shingles. Also a spark arrestor installed in the chimney and stovepipe will help.

The Driveway – If possible the driveway should allow for large emergency equipment to reach the home and have areas wide enough for emergency vehicles such as fire trucks.

Internal

Smoke Detectors- this will give out a warning that a fire is happening. Install the on each floor. More importantly make sure that at least one is set up in the kitchen, bedroom hallways and staircases.

Fire Extinguisher - Keep fire extinguishers accessible and make the members of your household know where it is located and must know how to use it when needed.

Sprinkler System – Some properties when bought have this but for some, this is not included. Some see this as a competitive edge over houses for sale without sprinklers.

Heating Equipment - According to a press release by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires. The peak months for home heating fires are December, January and February, accounting for nearly half (44%) of all home heating fires.

In addition, more specific tips on using heating equipment are shown below.

• Give the space heaters some space. Keep all combustible materials at least 3 feet away from the heater. Materials such as papers, beddings or even furniture.
• Turn heaters off when you go to bed or when the room is unoccupied.
• Plug your heaters into an outlet that has the ability to support the heater’s capacity. Never use an extension cord. 
• Make sure that your chimney is clean and is not congested. Inspect them before the start of the winter. 
• Use a sturdy fireplace screen to prevent sparks flying into the room
• Make sure ashes are cool and won’t cause fire upon disposal. Dispose ashes in a fire resistant container.