The Valdosta Daily Times — VALDOSTA — In light of two recent house fires thought to be caused by clothes dryers, fire officials are urging citizens to evaluate their homes for fire hazards.

“Over the past month, Lowndes County Fire Rescue has spent numerous hours educating the children of Lowndes County regarding fire safety and prevention,” said Lowndes County Fire Chief Richard Guyton. “While parents are encouraged to spend some time with their children reiterating the ‘Stay Fire Smart, Don’t Get Burned’ message, it is just as important for adults to spend time evaluating homes and accessory structures for hazards.”

The first fire occurred Sunday, Oct. 18 in Sparks. Around 7:30 p.m. that evening, Bonita Jones was on her way to Valdosta when her son called and said that there was smoke coming from the vents in the house.

“I turned around as quickly as I could and headed back toward Sparks,” Jones said.

Sparks Fire Chief Joe Dent said that he pulled up to the scene of the fire around the same time Jones did, to find flames coming from the back of the house.

Firefighters quickly contained and extinguished the fire. However, a significant amount of smoke damage was done to the home, Dent said.

The exact cause of the fire has not been determined, but Dent confirmed it started in the area near the washing machine and dryer. Someone in the home had been drying clothes at the time the fire started, Jones said.

This past Saturday, Linda Demp’s home on Jumping Gully Road near Clyattville also went up in flames, leaving Demp, her daughter and her two grandchildren, ages 11 and 13, relying on the kindness of strangers for help.

The fire occurred around 6:45 p.m. The Clyattville Volunteer Fire Department spent hours at the blaze; “They were there past 1 a.m. Sunday,” Demp said.

Firefighters believe that a clothes dryer caused the blaze.

Guyton said that dryer fires can definitely be prevented “with proper inspection and attention provided to the performance of appliances and the integrity of the wiring in the home.”

“It is imperative that service calls and inspections are not put off,” Guyton added. “Odd odors such as the smell of wires smoldering or the detection of abnormal heat are both indicators that a problem exists. If repairs are not made, a fire is sure to be the end result. Unfortunately, due to the nature of our busy schedules, dryer fires have the potential to occur after occupants have gone to bed. Under no circumstances should a dryer be left on while residents are sleeping or after they have left home.”

According to the U.S. Fire Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), clothes dryer fires account for about 15,600 structure fires, 15 deaths and 400 injuries annually. Failure to clean is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in residential buildings.

The USFA and FEMA have provided the following steps to help prevent dryer fires:

• If you notice heavy clothes such as blue jeans or towels taking a long time to dry, or clothes feel hotter than usual at the end of the cycle, then a clogged dryer vent exhaust is likely the problem.

• Disconnect, clean, and inspect the dryer duct and venting every couple of years, or hire a professional company to clean the dryer components. Some dryer vents may need more frequent inspection, such as in homes with complex construction where the dryer vents exceed 6 feet from the outside, or with smaller stack dryers and dryers that are older and do not have moisture sensors or high temperature safety limit controls. This will reduce the fire risk and increase the dryer’s efficiency.

• Outside wall dampers should have a covering that will keep out rain, snow, and dirt. However, do not use wire screen or cloth of any kind to protect the exhaust opening. It can collect lint and clog areas of the dryer vent.

• In order to deter birds and small animals from nesting in vents, make sure the dryer vent system and damper are working suitably.

• Never put synthetic materials such as rubber, plastic, foam or pieces of cloth that have been used to sponge up flammable liquids in the dryer, even if previously washed.

• Clean the lint out of the exhaust pipe and the rear of the dryer regularly.

• Inspect your lint filter for rips each time you use it. If you see any rips, replace immediately.

• The exhaust pipe should be as short as possible and have limited bends to allow for adequate airflow.

Lowndes County Fire Rescue remains available to conduct pre-incident planning visits to homes and businesses in unincorporated Lowndes County. For more information, please contact Lowndes County Fire Rescue at (229) 671-2730.