A Season for Sharing in Fire Safety

When most people think about the holidays, family festivities and cheer likely come to mind. What a few of us consider is that the holidays also present an increased risk of home fires. Home fires during the holiday season often involve cooking, Christmas trees, candles and holiday decorations. By following some of the outlined precautionary tips, individuals can greatly reduce their chances of becoming a holiday fire casualty.

Put a Freeze on Winter Holiday Fires.(PDF, 941KB) (PDF)

Holiday Decorating

Preventing Christmas Tree Fires

Carefully decorating Christmas trees can help make your holiday safer.

• • Selecting a tree - If you have an artificial tree, be sure it's labeled, certified or identified by the manufacturer as fire-retardant. If you choose a fresh tree, make sure the needles don't' fall off when touched; before placing it in the stand, cut 1-2" from the base of the trunk. Add water to the tree stand, and be sure to water it daily.
  • Christmas Tree Fire Hazards - See a movie segment demonstrating how fast a live Christmas tree can become fully engulfed in flames (provided by the United States Fire Administration). Special fire safety precautions need to be taken when keeping a live tree in the house. A burning tree can rapidly fill a room with fire and deadly gases. Click here to download movie.

• Decorating Your Tree -Use lights that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory, and make sure you know whether they are designed for indoor or outdoor use. Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords, or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini-string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs. Never use lit candles to decorate a tree. Always turn off Christmas lights before leaving the home or going to bed.
• Caring for Your Tree - Make sure your trees is not blocking an exit. Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.
• Disposing of Your Tree - Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.

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Holiday Lights

• Inspect Holiday Lights - Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Always unplug lights before replacing light bulbs or fuses.
• Purchasing Lights - Purchase only lights and electrical decorations bearing the name of an independent testing lab.
• Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets or Extension Cords - Check your strands of lights to determine the number of strands that may be connected. Connect no more than three strands of push-in bulbs and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs, unless the decorations indicate it is safe. Make sure to periodically check the wires - they should not be warm to the touch.
• Mounting Lights - Do not mount lights in any way that can damage the cord's wire insulation (i.e., using clips, not nails or staples). Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.
• Do Not Leave Holiday Lights on Unattended

Holiday Decorations

• Take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
• Never Put Wrapping Paper in a Fireplace - It can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers and may result in a chimney fire.
• Artificial Christmas Trees - If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.

Candle Care

Candles are widely used in homes throughout the holidays; December is the peak month for home candle fires. More than half of all candle fires start because the candles had been to close to things that could catch fire.

• Avoid Using Lit Candles - If you do use them, keep them at least 12" away from anything that can burn, and remember to blow them out when you leave the room or go to bed.
• Use candle holders - that are sturdy, won't tip over and are placed on uncluttered surfaces. Avoid using candles in the bedroom, where more than one third of home fires begin, or other areas where people may fall asleep.
• Never leave children alone in a room with a burning candle.
• Consider using flame-less candles - which look and smell like real candles.

Holiday Entertaining

• Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.
• If you smoke, smoke outside.
• Wherever you smoke, provide plenty of large, deep sturdy ashtrays and check them frequently. Cigarette butts can smolder in the trash and cause a fire so completely douse cigarette butts with water before discarding.
• After a party, always check on, between and under upholstery and cushions and inside trash cans for cigarette butts that may be smoldering.
• Keep matches and lighters up high, out of sight and reach of children. When smokers visit your home, ask them to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.
• Deep Fried Turkey Advisory from Underwriters Laboratories

Finally, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Know when and how to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan. *Sources: United States Fire Administration and the National Fire Protection Association.*