It is starting to look and feel a lot like Christmas, but all that holiday cheer also means fires are more likely.
A fire in Rock Falls Sunday turned one bulb on the Merrill Fire Departments Keep the Wreath Green wreath red.
Keep the Wreath Green is a country-wide campaign to remind people to practice fire safety in the holiday season with a lit wreath typically hung in front of fire departments.
Green bulbs represent no fires, red are fires responded to, and there are two additional bulbs: one white for fallen firefighters and one blue for fallen law enforcement officers.
The Rock Falls fire was a chimney fire and the owner did the right thing by calling 911 immediately and even put out the fire with their own garden hose.
That was the first red bulb for Merrill after the wreath was put up after Thanksgiving and the department is urging people to take precautions so most of the lights stay green.
"Chimney fires a lot of times are just due to a lack of cleaning the chimney prior or at least having it checked prior to the heating season," said Merrill Fire Battalion Chief Jon Leiskau. "Utilizing dry firewood. Not utilizing any evergreen type of firewood."
Chimney fires are not the only thing to look out for however.
Leiskau said make sure to not leave food being cooked unattended, keep heat sources away from Christmas trees, and do not have open flame candles near anything flammable or keep them burning when no one is around.
Make sure real Christmas Trees are being watered regularly so they do not dry out making them more of a fire hazard.
Sometimes things can take a turn for the worse which is especially devastating during the holiday season.
That is where the American Red Cross comes in with their Disaster Action Team that usually arrives very quickly.
"And really, it's that hug or being there in the time of the darkest moments that make a big difference to these families," said North Central Wisconsin Red Cross's Executive Director Kathryn Halvorsen.
The Red Cross also will help install smoke alarms as needed.
