Across the country, fire marshals continue to flag one setup that shows up again and again in post-fire investigations: small greenhouses packed with portable electric heaters, daisy-chained extension cords, and high-wattage grow lights all running at once. Gardeners chase warmth and light for their plants, but many overlook the simple math of electricity and the unforgiving nature of heat in tight, plastic-lined spaces. The result can escalate quickly from cozy to catastrophic.
Greenhouses do not forgive shortcuts. They trap heat, moisture, and electricity in close quarters. When someone plugs a powerful heater into a lightweight extension cord and tucks it beneath a bench full of dry pots and seed trays, that combination creates exactly the kind of environment that fire professionals warn about year after year.
