When fire strikes, as it has so often the past couple of months in Hall County, the American Red Cross is called to help displaced families.

And the nonprofit organization's Northeast Georgia chapter, based in Gainesville, has been busy lately.

It has helped in 22 fires this month in its 12-county service area.

"That's slightly higher than normal for this time of the year," said Philip Reed, executive director.

Fires occur frequently when families are seeking whatever means they can to fend off dropping temperatures. December has been especially frigid and wintry, with the Hall County area getting a rarely seen Christmas Day snowfall.

"And because of the current economy, you have larger numbers of people living in homes designed for fewer folks," Reed said.

"We had one fire this year where we had 12 people living in one mobile home."

Just Sunday, Hall County firefighters responded to a fire off Gillsville and Athens highways where families had put together two mobile homes. Fire destroyed the assembled structures, leaving seven people homeless, officials said.

At least three other fires took place Sunday, including one that began in a South Hall home's chimney and spread to the attic, with the roof eventually collapsing, rendering the house uninhabitable.

Overall, since Nov. 1, Hall County firefighters have responded to 33 fires involving homes where one or two families live, compared to 22 in the same period last year, Fire Marshal Scott Cagle said.

"We have volunteers in each county that are on call to respond day or night to help folks who are victims," Reed said.

"And they are either contacted by the local fire department or, if it's way after hours, we have (an around-the-clock) dispatch operation that all the Red Cross chapters in Georgia participate in."

The volunteers, who have completed training, "go out and basically talk to the victims, talk to the fire department and assess the damage," Reed said.

"They are prepared to provide short-term stays in a convenient motel to get them through the immediate situation."

And victims also get money for food and clothing.

"We do it regardless of a family's financial situation, if they need the help," Reed said. "They can decline or say they'll stay with relatives or whatever. But for many of them, hit here over the holidays, they need a place to stay."

So far this month, the agency has spent $7,500 on the relief efforts.

"And we operate totally on donated funds, or through the United Way and businesses that help support us," Reed said.