OWENSBORO, KY (WFIE) -
It's Christmas time and Owensboro fire officials want to remind you about all of the seasonal fire hazards with dry trees, hot lights, overloaded circuits and even candles.
The Owensboro Fire Department responds to three to four fires in the city this time of year from Christmas decorations. The fire department is asking people to take extra caution when putting up decorations this year.
Jim Zabuk has been putting Christmas lights on his Owensboro home for 30 years.
"The reason I do it is because my family enjoys it. I've got a daughter that just loves Christmas. It's one of her favorite seasons," Zabuk said.
The Owensboro Fire Department is asking residents to be careful when hanging lights.
"Over the last ten years, the fires we have responded to have been typically holiday lighting fires. The best advice is to inspect your lights before you put them up," Steve Lenoard said. Lenoard is the Chief of Owensboro Fire Department.
That's exactly what Zabuk does with his lights and he also uses power strips.
"If anything happens, it would trip the 15 amp power strip before it gets to the breaker box," Zabuk said.
The fire department also says lights inside the house have caused fires in the past.
"I can remember several years ago we had a less than fortunate family that was having a tough time to begin with, leaving their home and leaving the lights on and having a fire result from that," Leonard told 14 News.
The Owensboro Fire Department says there hasn't been any deaths from fires caused by Christmas decorations, but there has been homes in the city that have been lost.
Copyright 2012 WFIE. All rights reserved.
