As winter sets in, many people turn to space heaters for warmth—but firefighters are warning against a common and dangerous mistake. The Umatilla County Fire District in Oregon stresses that space heaters should never be plugged into power strips, which aren’t built to handle their high energy load. Doing so can cause overheating or even start a fire.
The risk isn’t just theoretical. In one Ohio case, a space heater plugged into a power strip sparked a fire that spread from a couch and destroyed an entire home. Space heaters can reach temperatures up to 600°F, making proper use crucial. Fire experts emphasize that misuse can lead to devastating consequences.