With National Arson Awareness Week being recognized Sunday, May 5 through Saturday, May 11, the Reno Fire Department is sharing tips and reminders about fire safety.
RFD says it saw a slight increase in the number of fires last year, with a total of 260 reported in 2023.
It made 12 arson arrests, successfully closing 30% of arson cases, which is above the national average.
Reno Fire wants to remind residents that anyone can become a victim of arson but there are things you can do to limit that risk.
“Motivation for arson varies, but every arsonist seeks out opportunity,” said John Beck, Fire Marshal for the Reno Fire Department. “The more you take the opportunity away from that arsonist, the probability of that arsonist attacking your property goes down.”
Here are a few tips from the Reno Fire Department on what residents can do to protect their property from the mind of an arsonist:
1.Install lights covering all sides of the house. Motion-activated lighting, which is inexpensive, should be placed near the entrances. Interior lights on timers give the illusion of an occupied residence.
2.Keep combustibles and flammable plants at least five feet from your home's exterior walls. Juniper brush is popular in northern Nevada but very flammable. It looks green from the outside but hides dead and dry vegetation inside. Remove excess vegetation and piles of leaves. Clean around your house and garage, removing unused and unneeded paper, trash, cleaning supplies, partial cans of paint and other materials that could become kindling and fuel a fire for an arsonist.
3.Trim or remove shrubbery that blocks the view of the house from the street. During the growing season, bushes and trees may need to be trimmed frequently.
4.Keep doors and windows locked. All external doors should be equipped with deadbolts. A simple locked door could be the deterrent that saves a house from arson. The hardware used to lock windows can sometimes be easily forced open using a credit card or other tool. The best type of window hardware has spring-loaded bolts that insert through the window frame into the wall frame.
5. Secure abandoned and vacant homes. This may include adding additional locks or boarding up broken windows or other openings with plywood.
6. Remove abandoned vehicles. Most car fires are started to cover up other criminal activity or simply as an act of vandalism.
7. Install burglar and fire alarm systems or surveillance cameras.
You can find more information on this at the National Fire Protection Association website by clicking here.
