WASHINGTON — It’s going to get cold out there soon. Tuesday’s high
temperatures in the region won’t reach the 40-degree mark; Wednesday’s might
just make it.

So a lot of people will be getting various heating systems going, and that’s
already caused trouble over the past chilly weekend.

There were two fires in one hour Sunday in Prince George’s County, and several
in Montgomery County over the course of the weekend. Pete Piringer, of
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, says he isn’t surprised.

“This is getting to be our busy time of year,” he tells WTOP.

Fire officials pass on a few safety tips that bear repeating every year.

• Piringer says, make sure you have working smoke alarms on each level of
  your home. Carbon monoxide detectors are also key.

• “Keep any combustibles away from any heat source,” Piringer says. That
  includes stovetops, fireplace, furnaces and space heaters.

• Piringer adds that keeping a 3-foot “circle of safety” around heat sources
  is a solid practice.

• If you’re firing up your natural gas or propane heating system for the
  first time this season, Bruce Bouch, Maryland’s deputy state fire marshal,
  says it’s crucial to make sure the connections of your system has no leaks.

  To check a connection, he says, spray it with soapy water. If you see bubbles,
  turn off the supply valve and get the connection tightened or repaired.

Four Marylanders, including an 8-year-old boy, have died this year after fires
or explosions involving propane of natural gas.

WTOP’s Liz Anderson and Kathy Stewart contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.