Before any prolonged cold spells have even gripped the region, local fire agencies are reporting an increase in structure fires. And some have been deadly.

Most are related to heating sources, officials say, and virtually all are preventable.

“It’s common sense. Keep combustibles away from wall heaters, wood stoves, even candles,” said Chris Larson, public information officer with Northern Lakes Fire District.

Tragically, Northern Lakes has already responded to one fire-related death and one injury in recent weeks. In all, the department has responded to eight structure fires in the past two months alone, and Larson says he’s bracing for more as winter settles in. Those fire responses far outweigh numbers from previous years.

“We’re way over,” Larson said. “At least seven of the fires were due to combustible materials too close to a heating source.”

Larson advised people to keep combustibles as least 3 feet from heating sources and use properly dried firewood for heating stoves.

Craig Etherton, public information officer with the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, said his department has also responded to heater-related calls, though there have been no serious injuries.

“What we see are things like blankets, curtains and Christmas trees too close to heating sources,” Etherton said.

The same fortunate news cannot be said for first responders in Coeur d’Alene. Though the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department has not yet seen any human deaths this season, officials have already responded to structure fires that resulted in the deaths of two dogs and at least two cats. A family dog died Dec. 10 in a 19th Street fire caused by a space heater close to a living room couch, according to a statement from Etherton’s office. The release said the face of the space heater was moved directly toward the couch occupied by the occupant. That person then left the room and went to bed without deactiving the space heater, which set fire to the couch a few hours later.

The dog’s remains were recovered by firefighters, and the family cat is still missing.

“The family is putting ‘Missing Cat’ signs out in the neighborhood,” Etherton said. “Cats get spooked and will run off like that. But the cat’s remains could still be in the house. From our standpoint, when we’re investigating a fire, and while we did keep our eye out, we don’t know if the cat is still in there.”

Etherton added that the home is unlivable for the family. Insurance companies will determine if the house will be totalled and rebuilt.

“I’m not in a position to make that determination,” Etherton said. “Structurally, it’s not in terrible shape, but everything in there is peak-damaged.”

Etherton and Larson both agree that one common winter mistake is to plug extension cords into space heaters.

“Heaters are not meant for that,” Larson said, “It takes way too much energy. Those sources need to be plugged directly into the wall.”

Etherton said the reasons for fires are too many to count but include everything from breaker overloads to fire code violations.

“Your space heaters go through testing,” Etherton said. “They’re tested and go through their listings with a steady power supply. Once you throw an extension cord into the equation, it adds in a condition it probably hasn’t been tested to. Additionally, people’s extension cords aren’t always in great shape. They’re stretched. They’re damaged. There’s tape wrapped around them. They’re overused. They’re used longer than they’re supposed to, longer than they’re designed to. Sparks fly.”

“It’s sad,” he said, “because it’s preventable.”