Northeast Georgians will awake to the first hard freeze of the season Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service predicts temperatures to drop into the mid-20s overnight. A freeze warning is in effect from 1 a.m. until 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Prior to that, a wind advisory is in effect today until 1 a.m. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-50s but drop throughout the day and into the night. Wednesday's highs will be in the upper 40s.

Fire prevention officials are encouraging everyone to take extra precautions during this cold weather, particulary when using space heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves.

"Many times, people just don’t understand the risk involved in using alternative heating methods. They are trying to keep costs down, and stay warm, and sometimes those things just don’t add up”, said Capt. Scott Cagle, Hall County Fire Marshal.

Fire officials recommend the following safety guidelines:

• Use only seasoned hardwood.

• Build small fires that burn completely and produce less smoke.

• Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in your fireplace or wood stove.

• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.

• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.

• Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container outside your home.

When using electric space heaters:

• Keep items at least 3 feet away from each heater.

• Buy space heaters with a safety feature that automatically shuts off the power if the heater falls over.

• When using a space heater, do not plug anything else into the same outlet.

• Never leave space heaters unattended. Turn them off and unplug them when leaving the home or when going to bed at night.