DELAWARE- You would not want a fire to break out near your home.
Just this week, the Delaware State Fire Marshal says fireplaces and wood stoves are to blame for fires in Northern Wilmington, another in Camden, and another in Gumboro with over $35,000 in damage combined.
"It's not an alarming number," Assistant Fire Marshal Michael Chionchio said. "It's just the fact that we are transitioning to the cold weather and you know we don't get any fireplace fires in July."
Firefighter Norman "Jay" Jones says if fire places and wooden stoves aren't cleaned or used properly, it's easy for them to catch fire.
"Everybody needs to be cautious when it comes to any type of heating sources whether it be a wood stove, electric, gas, however," Jones said. "You need to be cautious on how you operate those devices."
Firefighters also encourage people to check smoke detectors once a month as they can make the difference between surviving a fire or not.