A heat lamp placed inside a wooden dog house caused a fire Thursday morning. 9-1-1 callers reported the fire had spread and was engulfing a fifth wheel travel trailer in the area of Riverwoods Drive and Choctaw Road.
A neighbor was able to free the dog prior to fire department arrival. The fifth wheel was found to be heavily involved in fire with adjacent combustibles and a dog house also engulfed.
The fire was quickly knocked down by fire crews without damage to the main residence or other structures on the property. The single occupant of the 2016 Crossroads Redwood fifth wheel was displaced by the fire, but declined Red Cross assistance. Losses are estimated at $50,000 to the fifth wheel and adjacent combustible materials.
Upon investigation, the cause of the fire was found to be a heat lamp placed inside a wooden dog house. The heat lamp was too close to nearby combustible materials, and the resulting fire spread from the dog house to adjacent combustibles stored on the property and the fifth wheel trailer.
Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community that while heat lamps can be beneficial in keeping pets and small livestock warm during these cold winter months, precautions must be taken to ensure the heat lamp is used safely. First, ensure that the fixture is rated for the bulb that you will use.
Heat lamp bulbs typically come in 125 and 250 wattage, make sure you are not overloading the fixture and wiring. Second, anything that produces heat requires space around it, we recommend a minimum of 18 inches between the heat lamp and any combustibles.
More space may be required if the 250 watt bulb is used. Secure the heat lamp to ensure that it cannot be displaced or knocked over. The clamp that typically secures a heat lamp is not sufficient to hold it in place, especially if it may be bumped by the animal. A chain, wire, or a carabiner may be used to keep the heat lamp from moving.
For more fire safety information, please visit our website at https://www.bendoregon.gov/
