Each year in the U.S., hundreds of people die in fires, and thousands of homes go up in flames where home heating equipment is involved, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
This week's blast of cold weather has many in the Central Valley finding ways to keep warm and public safety personnel reminding people to be safe while using heating equipment.
"If they're using a space heater, they definitely want to maintain a three-foot radius around that space heater, or any other item they may be using to heat their home," said Chad Fitzgerald, public information officer with the Clovis Fire Department.
Another word of caution--don't leave space heaters unattended around children or pets, where the units easily can be knocked over.
"Some of them have automatic shutoff switches, but when it's time to go to bed, or you think you're going to go to sleep, making sure your space heater is off is a very good safety step to take," Fitzgerald said.
Christmas trees can also pose extra dangers when around hazards like chimneys and heating units.
A video from the National Institute of Standards and Technology shows a Christmas tree that caught fire fully involving a room within seconds of catching fire.
Other hazards exist when people use alternative methods of heating their homes, such as using stoves and ovens-- a practice fire officials don't encourage.
"This time of year, we'll often find certain folks bring in their barbeque (pit), or they may use their oven, or things that really aren't intended for that particular use," Fitzgerald said.
Working smoke detectors can make the difference between surviving a fire or seeing everything go up in flames in a matter of seconds.
Fire safety officials urge you to make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.