Fire safety... Space heaters are a significant fire risk, causing thousands of home fires annually, primarily from being too close to flammable items (curtains, bedding), being plugged into extension cords (overheating circuits), or being left unattended, though modern units have safety features like tip-over protection, proper placement (3 feet from combustibles), direct wall plug-ins, and turning them off before sleep are crucial to prevent fires, carbon monoxide (from combustion models), and