PHOENIX — While releasing celebratory balloons to the sky can be tradition for some people, one Arizona utility is raining awareness to the public about the dangers the action can cause.

Metallic-coated Mylar balloons, a popular gift on Valentine’s Day, can cause large-scale outages, fires and property damage if they get caught in power lines, Arizona Public Service said in a press release.

The metallic coating has potential to cause a short circuit or power surge that can also melt electrical wires or cause injuries to people, pets and wildlife.

Last year, 60 power outages in the APS service territory were caused by balloons, impacting more than 28,400 customers, according to the release.

APS said, to stay safe, all balloons, including nonmetallic, should only be used indoors and at least 100 feet away from power lines.

Metallic balloons should also be held down with a weight, tied or tethered.

Once the item is ready for disposal, it should be punctured and deflated.

Tangled balloons or objects in APS power lines can be reported to the Outage Hotline at 602-371-3680 or 855-688-2437 and by visiting online.

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