HOLIDAY SAFETY

Holiday celebrations, Christmas lights and Christmas trees are hallmarks of the holiday season, however, they do present some fire risks that can put your safety at risk.  Here are some tips to help your family have a holly-jolly- fire safe Christmas!

• U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 835 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees.
• Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in more than two in five home Christmas tree fires.
• Nearly one in five Christmas tree fires were started by lamps or bulbs. 8 percent were started by candles.
• Roughly two of every five home Christmas tree fires started in the living room.
• Candle fires peak in December and January with 11 percent of candle fires in each of these months.
• Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
• Year round, one-third (32%) of home decoration fires were started by candles. This jumped to almost half in December when candles started 46% of such fires. Cooking started one-fifth (20%) of decoration fires.

Christmas Decorating Safety

• Be careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
• Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn.
• Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect.
• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
• Keep decorations away from windows and doors.

Candle Safety

• Blow out all candles when you leave a room and before going to bed.
• Keep candles 1 foot away from anything that can burn.
• Keep matches and candles out of reach of children and in a locked cabinet.
• Use candle holders that are sturdy and can’t tip easily.  Also, don’t burn a candle all the way down. Put it out before it gets too close to the container.
• Never place a candle on a cluttered surface.
• Be careful while lighting a candle. Keep hair and loose clothing away.
• Don’t use a candle if oxygen is used in the home.
• During a power outage, use battery powered lighting. Never use candles.

Christmas Tree Safety

Carefully decorating your home can help make your holidays safer. Between 2018-2022, US fire departments responded to an average of 155 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. US fire departments responded to an estimated average of 835 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees.

• Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.
• Before placing the tree in a stand, cut 2 inches off the base of the trunk.
• Keep tree 3 feet away from any heat source.
• Don’t block an exit with a Christmas tree.
• Add water daily to the tree stand.
• When decorating the tree, use lights that are tested by a qualified laboratory. Some lights can only be used indoors or outdoors.
• Never decorate a tree with candles.
• Replace any lights with worn cords or loose connections.
• Always turn off your Christmas tree lights before leaving or going to bed.

What Causes Christmas Tree Fires?

According to the latest statistics from NFPA, lighting and electrical equipment cause most Christmas tree fires in the home. According to the research: 

• Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in more than two in five (41 percent) home Christmas tree fires.
• One in five (20 percent) home Christmas tree fires were started by lamps or bulbs. 
• More than one in 10 (11 percent) home Christmas tree fires were started by candles.
• Two in five (40 percent) home Christmas tree fires started in the living room.

Holiday Tree Recycling

Keeping a dry tree in your house or close to your house after the holidays presents a fire hazard. Waste Management usually has set dates where you can recycle your Christmas tree shortly after Christmas.