The Knoxville Fire Department is reminding the community of space heater safety as the weather gets colder.

With the benefits and convenience of a space heater, there also comes fire risk as well. According to the National Fire Protection Association, heaters should only be purchased with a seal of qualified testing, always be placed on a flat surface, kept out of the way of foot traffic, and should always be unplugged when you are not around. Knoxville Fire Chief Cal Wyman says there are additional precautions that can be taken with space heaters to prevent fires.

“Plug them in directly to the wall, try not to use extension cords with space heaters, only run them when you’re in the room, don’t run them when you’re not in the room, and try to keep all combustible material three feet from the space heater.”

It is also important to unplug the space heater immediately if you smell burning.