Statewide, Iowa (RI) – In recent years, Iowans have dealt with deadly tornadoes and historic flooding, but the biggest disaster for the Iowa chapter of the American Red Cross during 2025 has been house fires.
Josh Murray is spokesman for the agency in Iowa and says fires are breaking out somewhere in the state almost daily, sometimes two a day, and it only gets worse during the winter.
Murray says Red Cross home fire responses spike nearly 20 percent nationwide during the holidays, when families face increased risks of fire.
In an effort to prevent more home fires, the agency installed more than 1,600 free smoke alarms in Iowa this year, and checked the batteries in hundreds of existing smoke alarms.
This holiday season Murray urges Iowans to visit redcross.org to make a financial donation, or to give back through volunteering.
KIWA Staff Photo
