Homefires

Posts tagged: fires

Deck the Halls with Safety: Avoid house fires from holiday decorations

Deck the Halls with Safety: Avoid house fires from holiday decorations

by Home Decoration
Six crucial tips to keep you, your family, and your home safe.

Posted:

Updated:

Tree On Fire

KENNEWICK, Wash. — December, January, and February are the most dangerous months for home fires as they occur more in winter than any other season, according to a Facebook post from the Walla Walla Fire Department. The U.S. Fire Administration said that cooking is the leading cause all year round, but during the winter season holiday decorations are also to blame. 

Nearly one in five Christmas tree fires were started by decorative lights, according to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In December, candles were also the cause of 45{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} of home decoration fires. (NFPA).

RELATED: Send in your Holiday Decorations for a chance to appear on KAPP KVEW

Here are the top 6 tips to follow to keep you, your family, and your home safe this holiday while enjoying your decorations. 

  1. Add water to your live tree daily (FEMA). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), said a dried-out Christmas tree could simultaneously ignite in a flashover in less than one minute compared to a well-watered tree that burns much slower.
  2. Make sure your tree is at least three feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, vents, space heaters, etc.. (FEMA).
  3. Keep Candles at least 12 inches away from anything that burns (FEMA) or use battery-operated flameless candles. The NFPA said, that three out of every five candle fires started because the flame was too close to a flammable object like furniture, bedding, curtains, or other decor.
  4. Replace any lights or string of lights that are worn down, broken, or loose (NFPA). It’s always important to read the manufacturer’s instructions and check the maximum wattage, especially when connecting multiple strings of lights together or in an extension cord. A good rule of thumb from the CPSC is, “do not use more than three three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.”
  5. Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed (American Red Cross).
  6. Don’t light the fireplace if you have stockings or decorations hanging on the mantel. (American Red Cross).

“Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in almost half of home Christmas tree fires.” –NFPA

Consumer Product Safety Commission also recommends that the holidays are a good time to review an emergency plan with your family if there is a fire in your home. Don’t forget to double-check all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors as well. It’s always a good reminder for parents to keep lighters, candles, matches, breakable decorations, or any potential dangerous decorations away from children and pets. For additional holiday safety tips visit, click here.

ADDITIONAL HOLIDAY STORIES ON YAKTRINEW.COM

COPYRIGHT 2021 BY YAKTRINEWS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.

How Christmas decorations cause house fires: What to know

How Christmas decorations cause house fires: What to know

by Home Decoration

Between 2015 and 2019, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 790 home fires per year that started with holiday decorations, according to a report from the National Fire Protection Association, a leading fire resource.

Fires caused by holiday decorations, excluding Christmas trees, resulted in an annual average of one death, 26 fire injuries and $13 million in direct property damage.

More than two of every five decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source, according to the report.

The most common cause of holiday decoration fires: candles. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, December is the peak month for candle fires and Christmas is the peak day.

Candles contributed to more than one third of home decoration fires, 90 deaths, 670 injuries and $291 million in direct property damage within the four years.

The other common holiday decoration fire starters include:

  • Cooking
  • Electrical distribution and lighting equipment
  • Heating equipment
  • Intentional
  • Smoking materials

Here’s what you need to know about how to avoid home fires during the holidays including tips on holiday decorations, fire hazards and guest smokers, according to the NFPA:

  • Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, not both.
  • Replace any string of lights with a worn or broken cross or loose bulbs connections.
  • Read manufacturer’s instructions for the 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.
  • Keep children and pets away from lit candles.
  • Ask smokers to smoke outside and to keep their materials with them so young children do not touch them.
  • Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Wet smoking butts with water before discarding.
  • Blow out lit candles when you leave the room or go to bed.
  • Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

For more tips on winter holiday fire safety, visit the NFPA’s safety tip guide.

Christmas tree fires

While holiday decoration contributed to a large sum of holiday fires, so did Christmas trees.

Within the four years, Christmas trees started 160 U.S. home fires per year causing an average of two deaths, 12 injuries and $10 million in direct property damage.

Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in almost half of the home Christmas tree fires.

And nearly one in five Christmas tree fires were started by decorative lights. In nearly one fifth of the Christmas tree fires, some type of heat source, such as a candle or equipment, was too close to the tree.

Here’s what you need to know about picking, placing, lighting and the aftercare of your Christmas to avoid a home fire, according to the NFPA:

HOW TO PICK A TREE

  • Choose a tree with fresh green needles that do not fall off when touched.

TREE PLACEMENT

  • Before placing the tree in the stand, cut two inches from the base of the trunk.
  • Make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source including fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.
  • Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit.
  • Add water to the base of the tree stand. Be sure to add water daily.

HOW TO SAFELY LIGHT A TREE

  • Use lights that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use.
  • Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.

WHEN TO GET RID OF THE TREE

  • Get rid of the tree when it’s dry because dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home, garbage or placed outside against the home.
  • Bring outdoor electrical lights inside after the holidays to prevent hazards.

What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our California Utility Team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email utilityteam@sacbee.com.

Related stories from Sacramento Bee

Profile Image of Brianna Taylor

Brianna Taylor is a reporter on The Sacramento Bee’s utility desk. A former Bee intern, Brianna also reported in Missouri and Maryland. She is a graduate of Morgan State University.

Midlands families seeking community’s help after home fires

Midlands families seeking community’s help after home fires

by Home And Garden

STATEWIDE, S.C. (WIS) – One family in Richland County, and another family in Kershaw County are seeking assistance by the American Red Cross after their homes were damaged by fires Thursday.

One family’s home is located in Watermark Place in Columbia, near Riverbanks Zoo and Garden off Greystone Boulevard, and after the fire they are in need of clothing, food, shelter, and referrals for resources. The American Red Cross says the family includes three people.

The other family, according to the American Red Cross disaster-trained volunteers, includes two people in Camden who experienced a home fire on Lyttleton Street, near Camden High School Thursday afternoon.

The American Red Cross also says the holiday season is a good time to prepare and brush up on fire safety. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact communities, the American Red Cross says celebrations could be different this year, as well.

The Chief Executive Officer for the Red Cross of South Carolina, Rod Tolbert says home fires are a real threat to communities across the state over the Thanksgiving holiday.

“In particular, cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires, and year after year Thanksgiving is the peak day for these tragedies. We at the Red Cross are urging families to follow cooking safety steps to help prevent your holiday celebrations from going up in smoke,” Tolbert said.

The American Red Cross offers these safety tips to keep families safe this Thanksgiving and holiday season:

  • Keep an eye on what you fry. Never leave cooking food unattended. If you must leave the kitchen, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
  • Move items that can burn away from the stove. This includes dishtowels, bags, boxes, paper and curtains. Also keep children and pets at least three feet away.
  • Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
  • Keep a pan lid or a cookie sheet nearby. Use it to cover the pan if it catches on fire. This will put out the fire. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
  • Turn pot handles to the back of the stove, so no one bumps them or pulls them over.
  • Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on. Check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to ensure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.

The American Red Cross also says testing your smoke alarms monthly and practicing a home fire escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes is imperative. Two minutes is the amount of time you may have to get out of a burning home before it’s too late, according to the Red Cross.

There are ways to help families in need through the American Red Cross Hometown Hero program.

According to the American Red Cross, Hometown Heroes provides assistance so families financially, so they can pay for food, clothes, personal care items, and a safe place to stay.

Become a Hometown Hero by clicking here or visiting www.redcross.org/HometownHero.

Copyright 2021 WIS. All rights reserved.

Notice a spelling or grammar error in this article? Click or tap here to report it. Please include the article’s headline.

© 2026 Home Decor Ideas. All rights reserved.
Shopping Basket