Do you decorate your home for Christmas with lights, trees, and accessories? As you deck the halls and fill the stockings, be fire smart. These holiday fire safety tips are a good place to start.
The holiday season is prime for Christmas fires, kitchen blazes, and electrical accidents. So today, I’ll share three holiday fire safety tips with links to some free resources.
But first, a few statistics.
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Holiday Fire Statistics
In the United States, fire departments responded to almost 950 holiday fires last year. On average, 160 home fires started with Christmas trees. The other 790 began with holiday decorations other than trees – or by cooking. These numbers come from:
- Electrical Safety Foundation International
- National Fire Protection Association
- United States Fire Administration
Candles start half of all home decoration fires. December is the peak time for candle fires, and most occur on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. The top three cooking fire days are Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
3 Holiday Fire Safety Tips
A holiday fire can ravage your home, and even a small fire is costly. While it might not destroy the holiday spirit, it can hinder your holiday plans. As you decorate for Christmas, practice these fire safety tips to prevent a fire in your home.
1. Your Christmas Trees
When you think of Christmas decorations, the first thing that comes to mind is your tree. If you’re set on using a real tree, check for freshness before you buy or cut the tree. Make sure the trunk contains sticky resin and the needles don’t fall off the branches too easy.
Use a Christmas tree water stand, and check the water level daily. Also, be careful where you set up your tree. Keep it away from the fireplace, radiators, candles, vents, and other heat sources that can dry it out.
And don’t think you’re out of the woods (no pun intended) if you use an artificial tree. Pre-lit artificial trees can be as much of a fire hazard as dry natural trees. If you drop a candle near a wrapped gift or tree skirt, for example, it could ignite the tree and start a fire.
2. Your Christmas Lights
Before you string up the holiday lights, make sure you have the right lights for the intended use. Some lights are designed for outdoor use, while others are meant for indoors only.
Inspect each light strand for frayed wires, cracked sockets, and loose bulbs. Replace anything that shows wear or damage. If it’s time for new lights, Amazon has you covered. Classic Christmas lights. Waterproof connectable lights. Indoor twinkle lights, and more.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the number of light strands to connect. As a rule, don’t connect more than three strands. Don’t overload your power strips or electrical outlets. And always turn off the lights when you leave home or go to bed.
3. Your Christmas Decorations
Based on fire safety statistics, Christmas decorations start more fires than Christmas trees. Cracked bulbs, frayed cords, loose connections, dry trees, fireplaces, candles, cooking, baking. All these things can contribute to holiday fires and injuries.
Many people get into the Christmas spirit with holiday candles. Winter scented candles are popular but can be deadly with improper handling. Use candle holders for votive candles and tapers. And always keep candles away from children and pets.
Remove tree needles and greenery from the fireplace. And don’t use gift wrap for kindling. These items cause big flames that can send sparks into the air and start a chimney fire.
Holiday Fire Safety Printables
The holiday season is a festive time of year – for relaxing, indulging, and making memories. Celebrations and family gatherings increase in number during the holidays. Unfortunately, home fires and electrical accidents also increase during this time.
The Electrical Safety Foundation International hopes to make safety a holiday tradition for your family. Click here for their free resources. And for more on holiday fire safety, check out these free printable tips from the National Fire Protection Association:
With a little awareness and a few safety precautions, you can lessen the risk of a holiday fire. Take advantage of these tips to educate and protect your family. They’re FREE – and easy to download, reprint, and share online. Merry Christmas! ◻️
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Now It’s Your Turn
Thank you for reading my post. Now it’s YOUR turn to chime in. How do you prevent holiday fires? What will you do different this year to keep your home and family safe?
Let’s fill the comments with friendly conversation. Scroll down to leave a reply, ask a question, or just say hello. And if you liked this post, please give it a share.
Blessings, Annette
📋 NOTE – You are reading “Fire Prevention: 3 Holiday Fire Safety Tips You Need to Know.” An earlier version appeared on Blogger in 2016. It has been updated for the Savoring Home community.
Photo Sources
Reference Sources
- Electrical Safety Foundation International
- National Fire Protection Association
- UL Solutions (Underwriters Laboratories)
- United States Fire Administration
Thank you for sharing this. Since we’re talking about fire safety, I’d like to add one more thing related to this. Outdated electrical panels are often the cause of home fires. So if your panel is over 25 years old, releasing a burning smell, displaying visible rust or other damage, and making strange noises (these are only some signs of malfunctioning), you should replace it immediately.
Thank you for this important tip. Merry Christmas!