The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released new guidance based on recent findings on U.S. home heating equipment fires, which peaked between December and February.

NFPA’s data show that U.S. fire departments responded to an annual estimated average of 38,881 home heating equipment fires from 2019-2023, resulting in 432 civilian deaths, 1,352 injuries, and $1.1 billion in property damages. Space heaters and heating stoves were the type of heating equipment involved in nearly one-third (29 percent) of these fires.

To that end, NFPA has published recommendations for heating, cooking, and electrical safety, along with tips about carbon monoxide and smoke alarms.

Among the recommendations:

• Clear the cooking area of combustible items, including dish towels, oven mitts, food packaging, and paper towels, and keep these items at least three feet away from cooking equipment.
• Heating systems and chimneys should be cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional.
• Contact a qualified electrician or landlord if experiencing frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers; a tingling feeling when touching an electrical appliance; a discolored or warm wall outlet; a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance; flickering or dimming lights; or sparks from an outlet.

“Each winter, when heating systems kick into high gear, so do the number of home heating fires,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at NFPA. “Our goal is to make sure people know when and where home heating fires most often occur, along with ways to prevent them.”

Access more information in the recent NFPA release.