In 1871, Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern and started a fire that burned down 18,000 buildings in Chicago, leveled four square miles and left 100,000 homeless. Not your average fire, but a good example of how quickly things can get out of control. As you begin closing up for cool weather, remember to check flammable liquids in your home. More than small amounts are risky. Keep just what you need in tightly sealed containers and carefully discard the rest. Flammables give off vapors that collect in small spaces and can be ignited by even the tiniest spark -- from a furnace, water heater, or light switch. When putting recreational vehicles, lawn mowers and gasoline powered tools in storage, be sure tanks are drained, tightly sealed and stored far away from ignition sources. And that's the On The House tip for today.