Fire

The Sarasota County Fire Department wants the community to have a safe holiday season by sharing safety tips and demonstrating the possible dangers of a dry tree and flammable holiday décor. Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage or against the home outside. Decorations should be at least three feet away from heat sources.

North Collier Fire Control & Rescue District is the first fire department in Florida to introduce plant fiber children's helmets.

Cape Coral Fire Department issues caution about preventable fires during the holiday season.

Lee County is seeking public feedback as it updates its Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), a guiding document that helps the community understand and reduce wildfire risk.

The victim of a house explosion and fire in San Carlos Park Wednesday morning has been identified as South Trail Fire Department firefighter and EMT Mike McCarty.

A fire in a home at 17280 Caloosa Trace Circle in San Carlos Park resulted in one death and brought units from multiple fire departments to the scene late Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning from noon to 7 p.m. today for Southwest Florida areas including Lee, DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties.A combination of warm temperatures this afternoon, low relative humidity values, and sustained winds greater than 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph will create Red Flag conditions across much of west central and Southwest Florida this afternoon.At the same time a number of brush fires were being fought.

Collier fire fighters responded to a fire on the Kirby Storter boardwalk, one of the most popular visitor attractions in Big Cypress National Preserve.

Volunteers and members of the American Red Cross Florida Gulf Coast to Heartland Chapter recently helped installed 158 free smoke alarms for families as part of a national Red Cross Sound the Alarm efforts.

Your cellphone may change itself back this weekend for the end of daylight savings time, but the smoke alarm still needs your attention.