Flammables should be kept away from the space heater, and use one that has up-to-date safety features
With the weather expected to turn cold this weekend, many people will be turning on the heat.
State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says you need to be especially careful when using a portable space heater.
"You need to have about a five-foot area around these space heaters where there's nothing that'll readily burn, like a chair, a bathrobe, a curtain."
And if you have to use space heaters for heating, Browning says you should buy one that has the most up-to-date safety features.
"What I'm talking about is the space heater that has a tip-over device so that if they fall over, they'll shut off, as well as the internal heat device where once it reaches an unsafe temperature it also cuts the space heater off."
Browning says be cautious about using a space heater all night long while you're sleeping, but things can happen and a fire can occur.
And a stove should not be used as a heater to heat the home because it's not designed to operate that way, Browning said.
