As temperatures drop across the northern hemisphere, millions of people rely on space heaters to stay warm. But firefighters

are urging everyone to be extremely cautious when using them — especially when it comes to how they’re powered. According

to the Umatilla County Fire District in Oregon, you should never plug a space heater into a power strip.

These devices simply aren’t built to handle,

the high electrical demand. “They can overheat or even catch fire,” the department warned. The risk is real — in Ohio, a space

heater plugged into a power strip ignited a couch, quickly consuming an entire home in flames.

Space heaters can reach up to 600°F,