Alabamians warned to be prepared after recent house and apartment fires

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Fires have been ravaging the entire state so far this fall, causing a lot of destruction.

From the fight of Birmingham firefighters four fire Several communities faced disaster Friday morning as Bessemer firefighters struggled to extinguish a house fire several hours later.

“We’ve seen a lot of multi-unit apartment fires this past week, and that doesn’t just mean you get affected and lose everything, it also means your neighbor and the neighbor next door start fires, too. ” said Annette Rowland of the Alabama Red Cross. “Unfortunately, these things are spreading faster than ever before.”

The dry weather Alabama has been experiencing doesn’t help either.

This week, the Alabama Forestry Commission strongly recommended open-air burning.

The spokesman added that embers from fire pits could cause problems in homes.

“There is a risk that some of these embers will rise and fall on your home,” Rowland said. “Dry conditions like this are more likely to cause a fire to spread, and once a fire starts it’s very difficult to get it under control.”

Fire can be difficult to control, but it is often easier to prevent it.

The Red Cross urges people to keep flammable items at least one meter away from items that heat up, such as heaters.

They recommend never leaving a candle unattended and that smokers use sturdy ashtrays and soak cigarette and cigar butts in water before throwing them away.

The organization also wants Alabamians to be on high alert and stay safe this Thanksgiving.

“The holidays are coming up,” Rowland said. “People are cooking outside. You’ve got those turkey fryers.”

Rowland also said homes burn more easily these days, and not just because of construction materials but also because of items like memory foam mattresses and throw pillows.

He said it was vital for people to consider what items in their homes pose a potential risk.

Also have an escape plan in case of fire so everyone in the house knows what to do.

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