LEWISTON – Cool weather is here. Furnaces are starting up, the smell of wood smoke fills the air. When people begin to heat their homes, the danger of a house fire rises dramatically.

Appropriately, the national theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week is “Test your Smoke Alarms.” Locally, fire officials plan to stress the theme as often as they can.

In recognition of the weeklong focus on fire prevention this week, the Lewiston Fire Department on Saturday will host an open house at its central station at 2 College Street. The station will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

“The open house is a great way for residents of all ages to learn more about the public safety services provided by the Lewiston Fire Department,” said Battalion Chief George Merrill, “and for us to encourage those residents to practice fire prevention at all times, to include the regular testing of smoke alarms.”

According to the National Fire Protection Association, roughly 70 percent of home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. The NFPA touts smoke alarms as the great safety success story of the 20th century, but only when they’re working properly.

The Oct. 9 event will feature Sparky the fire dog, the Raymond Fire Department’s new fire safety trailer, a 1 p.m. vehicle extrication demonstration, fire prevention handouts, balloons, prize drawings, refreshments, and a light lunch compliments of the Salvation Army.

Fire Prevention Week posters colored by Lewiston’s second-grade students will serve as decorations for the event.