Those using a space heater at home amid the ongoing Arctic front are being urged to use it safely.

Before you plug it in, check the cords for any damage. If there's no damage, place the heater on a hard, leveled floor.

Do not plug the heater into an extension cord, use a wall socket.

“And make sure you put it within three feet of anything that might be flammable,” Rio Grande City Fire Chief Manuel Muñiz said. “Even foot traffic — people that constantly walk around. Make sure it doesn’t disturb somebody's path of walking around."

You also need to turn off the space heater when you go to sleep or leave the house.

Never use a stove or oven to heat up your home. If you have a fireplace, do not leave a fire burning overnight.