MARSHFIELD, WI (WSAU) -- It looks like Wood County's 'Keep the Wreath Green' campaign will end 2019 with six red bulbs on the wreath this year; and Marshfield fire chief Scott Owen says that signifies six 'structure fires' between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve.
"So far this year we have six red bulbs up on the wreath," Owen said. "Last year we ended up with eight, so we're down slightly but not a lot."
There's been a wide variety of different types of fires around Wood County this year. "We've had electrical fires. We've had house fires. We've had commercial. There was a fire at Wiskerchen Cheese."
And Owen says fire prevention awareness shouldn't end with the holidays. "Just because the holiday season is drawing to a close doesn't mean that because the wreath is down we can forget about fire safety."
Along with fireplace and chimney fires, space heaters are a major source of fires this time of year. Those space heaters should kept at least three feet from other objects, and plugged directly into wall receptacles, not into power strips or extension cords.
And with some of our biggest snow months still on the way, Owen says it's important to fight fires in your neighborhood by keeping fire hydrants clear of ice and snow.
To help first-responders such as firefighters or EMS ambulance attendants if they need to visit your house, Owen recommends always being sure to keep your driveways and walkways free from snow and ice.
