Make sure products have ULC or CSA tags
Paul Flemming, who is also the city's fire prevention officer, said uncertified electrical appliances and cords are becoming more common.
"We're on the constant lookout for Christmas lights and things that are uncertified," he said. "We do have occasions when they caused fires."
Flemming said fire officials check stores regularly for these items, and remove any products they find from the shelves.
He urges shoppers to look for ULC or CSA tags on a product's electrical cord, which shows that it is certified by the Underwriter Laboratories of Canada or Canadian Standards Association.
If there's no tag, Flemming said, don't use that product.
"If you can buy a set of lights for $2, you know there's something not right there," he said.
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Failed PG&E power line blamed for Drum fire off Hwy 246 last June
LOS ANGELES - A downed Pacific Gas and Electric Co. power line was the cause of the Drum fire that broke out June 14 on Drum Canyon Road northwest of Buellton, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department announced Thursday.
The fire broke out about 12:50 p.m. north of Highway 246 and burned about 696 acres of wildland before firefighters brought it under control, although no structures were damaged, according to an incident summary.
A team of investigators pinpointed the official cause as a power line that failed between two utility poles and fell to the ground, where arcing electricity ignited the surrounding…
