Heaters spark two small fires in Sonoma County homes

Heaters triggered minor fires in two Sonoma County homes Sunday as people tried to ward off the frigid temperatures. The cold weather is expected to continue for several days, with a high wind advisory in place for Tuesday afternoon.

The first fire occurred at about 9 a.m. Sunday in an unoccupied home on Denman Road in Penngrove. Someone doing upgrades left a floor heater on in an effort to dry out some drywall, explained Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Andy Taylor. The heater ignited surrounding material, causing smoke damage to a hallway, Taylor said.

Then, at about 4:30 p.m. Santa Rosa and Rincon Valley firefighters were called to a home on the 400 block of Bellevue Avenue. A space heater had ignited bedding and set a mattress on fire, Battalion Chief Marc Basque said. An occupant was treated for smoke inhalation, he said.

The cold weather is expected to last several days, with lows dipping below freezing in many places. The National Weather Service issued a high-wind advisory for Tuesday afternoon, with sustained winds of 40 mph and gusts to 65 mph. The lowest temperatures were expected Wednesday night. You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at 521-5207 or kevin.mccallum@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @srcitybeat.