By Bruce Johnson

When I was a little boy, I was quite fascinated by fires. I would sit in front of our fireplace and watch the flames flicker and the embers glow for hours.

Like many boys my age, I would sneak matches from the house and try to start my own campfire.


On one occasion, my friend and I decided to build a fire in his father’s cabinet-making shop. We had plenty of scrap wood and lots of sawdust at our disposal. We must have tipped our hand when we were sneaking the matches because we were caught before we could strike the third match. I do believe our backsides were hotter than any fire could ever have been when our parents were through with us.

Had we understood the concept of the a “fire triangle,” we might have understood why our parents were so upset. The cabinet-making shop contained two of the necessary ingredients — fuel and oxygen — to produce a massive fire, and we were applying the third ingredient — heat — through our stolen matches. We were more than lucky that the fire was stopped before it got started.

Across America, there is a home fire somewhere nearly once every minute, according to the National Fire Protection Association, which notes that fires have many causes. 

Some of the top causes include:

  • Juvenile firesetting — Children playing with matches and fire are at the top of the list.
  • Smoking — Smoking materials like cigarettes, cigars and pipes are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States. 
  • Candles — The top three days for home candle fires are Christmas, New Year’s Day and Christmas Eve. 
  • Holidays — Christmas trees, holiday lights and decorations can be hazardous.
  • Appliances and equipment — Cooking, heating, washing machines and dryers, air conditioners and fans are frequent contributors to fires.
  • Medical oxygen — Remember, oxygen is one of the main ingredients of a fire.
  • Portable fireplaces — The fuel and open flame from these products can be dangerous.
  • Chemical and gases — Natural gas and propane home and nonhome fires can cause spontaneous combustion.
  • Fireworks — The spark from fireworks can quickly start a fire.

When a house fire starts, it can be mere minutes before it is fully engulfed in flames. Because of this speed, it is important to know where most fires start in our homes.

Experts have found that the top 10 areas where fires originate are:

  • Kitchens — 27 percent
  • Bedrooms — 13 percent
  • Dens — 9 percent
  • Chimneys — 8 percent
  • Laundry areas — 4 percent
  • Heating areas — 3 percent
  • Garages — 3 percent
  • Bathrooms — 2 percent
  • Hallways — 1 percent
  • Closets — 1 percent

Needless to say, it is imperative that you have working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home. It is also important that you have clear exits that you can use to escape in case of a fire.

As always, be careful out there. The TVVFD wishes all of you safety in your homes.

Bruce Johnson is an emergency medical responder with the Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Department.