With the winter months upon us Junction City Fire Chief Kevin Royse is offering up some heating tips.

When it comes to space heaters the best option is to use common sense according to Royse.

“Keep all combustibles approximately three feet away from any type of space heater. The newer ones do have an automatic shut off if they’re accidentally tipped over, and some of the newer ones also have a timer device that automatically shuts if off after a certain amount of time,” said Royse.

Another basic safety tip is to shut off the space heater when ever you leave the room for a long period of time.

When it comes to fireplaces and chimney’s Royse recommends having them cleaned at least once a year.

“A lot of people say every other year, depending on use, but we prefer every year. Obviously you need to put the fires out when you go to bed at night, and when you do put the fires out make sure you remove the coals or the wood into a metal container and keep it at least ten to fifteen feet away from any structures, such as a wood fence or your garage or anything else.”

Heating fires that are caused by heating equipment account for almost 20 percent of their fire calls in the winter, and about 30 percent are related to cooking fires.

Safety is important this winter season and Royse is asking everyone to use common sense when it comes to dealing with anything that could cause a fire.