Coverage of smoking-related fires continues. The Nebraska Radio Network reported that Omaha fire crews battled another apartment fire last Tuesday. Several units at an apartment complex near West Center Road in Omaha were evacuated and there were no injuries. The cause of the fire was a carelessly discarded cigarette, NRN reported. 

This is the ninth fire in Omaha since October 6th caused by improperly disposed smoking material. 

A smoking-related fire was touched off in LaVista in late September. After three smoking-related fires in La Vista and Ralston in six months earlier this year, firefighters in Ralston and La Vista voiced concern about smoking-related fires happening in Nebraska this year. Firefighters in Lincoln and Kearney also have urged caution in disposing of smoking-related materials after fires there this year. In the first five months of 2011, six Kearney families have lost their homes because of carelessness with smoking materials, according to the Kearney Hub. In 2010, four Kearney residents were displaced for the same reason. And in a July Papillion house fire started by a discarded cigarette, firefighter Clayton Kulhanek broke both his ankles and firefighter Ryan Twohig lost a big toe.

Properly putting cigarettes out is always important. This ongoing rash of cigarette-related fires in the state raises two important questions for Nebraskans.

First: Why are we having continuing problems with cigarettes extinguishing? On January 1, 2010, a law went into place in Nebraska requiring that cigarettes sold in Nebraska be "fire safe cigarettes."Fire safe cigarettes are designed to extinguish more quickly than standard cigarettes, if ignored. The intention is to prevent accidental fires. Are cigarettes being sold in Nebraska meeting this standard? Are fire-safe cigarettes effective in reducing fires in the ways that these cigarettes being extinguished?

The second important issue raised by these fires is regarding policy in multi-unit apartments, where many of these fires have occurred. Where there is no smoke, there is no fire. Is it time for more multi-unit apartments to go smoke-free? Smoke-free apartments mean a healthier breathing environment for tenants, and their implementation prevents smoking-related fires.

Thankfully in these fires, no Nebraskan has lost a life. Preventing injuries, people being displaced from homes, financial loss and providing a healthier environment for Nebraskans means looking carefully at the issues raised by these fires.