Alabama residents warned to be prepared after recent house and apartment fires

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama ((VBRK) – Fires are raging this fall, causing widespread destruction across the state.

From the struggle of Birmingham firefighters four fires Friday morning, as Bessemer firefighters tried to extinguish a house fire just hours later, many communities witnessed the disaster.

“We’ve seen a lot of apartment fires in the last week alone, and that means not only are you hurt and losing everything, but it also means your neighbor and the neighbor next to him,” said Annette Rowland with the Alabama Red Cross. . “Unfortunately, these things are spreading faster than ever before.”

The dry weather Alabama is experiencing isn’t helping.

This week, the Alabama Forestry Commission strongly discouraged outdoor tree burning.

The spokesman added that embers from fire pits could cause problems in homes.

“There is a risk that some of these embers could rise up and fall on your home,” Rowland said. “In these dry conditions, there is a high likelihood that they can cause a fire to spread, and once it starts, it is very difficult to contain.”

Containing a fire can be difficult, but preventing it is often easier.

The Red Cross urges people to keep items that could catch fire at least three feet away from hot items such as heaters.

They advise never leaving a candle unattended, and for smokers to use sturdy ashtrays and to dip cigarette and cigar butts in water before throwing them away.

The organization also wants Alabamians to be on high alert and stay safe this Thanksgiving.

“The holidays are coming,” Rowland said. “People cook on the street. You have turkey fryers.

Rowland also said homes burn more easily these days, not just because of building materials, but also because of items like memory foam mattresses and throw pillows.

She said it’s important that people consider what items in their home pose a potential risk.

Also, create an escape plan in case of fire so that everyone in the house knows what to do.

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