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Holiday Fire Safety Tips from FEMA

Traditionally, the winter holidays are a time for families and friends to get together.

safety tips winter fires water your tree.It’s fun to decorate for the winter holidays and cook special meals, but holiday decorations and cooking can increase your risk for a home fire. As you deck the halls this season or fix a festive meal, be fire smart.

Be careful with your holiday decorations. Make sure they don’t block windows and doors. Additionally, following a few simple tips can help make your holidays fire-safe.

  • Be sure to water your live Christmas tree every day. A dry tree is more flammable. Trees too close to a heat source cause one in every four winter fires.  Christmas trees account for hundreds of fires each year. Typically, shorts in electrical lights or open flames from candles, lighters or matches start tree fires. Well-watered trees are not a problem. A dry and neglected tree can be.
  • Make sure you are using the right lights. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
  • Don’t link more than three strands of holiday lights.
  • Check your lights before putting them up.  Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.
  • Keep lit candles away from decorations and things that can burn. More than 1/3 of home decoration fires are started by candles.  Consider using flameless candles, they look very similar and are safer.
  • Blow out lit candles and turn off holiday lights at night or when you leave the house or the room.
  • Don’t overload extension cords and outlets.

Why You Should Water Your Christmas Tree

Cooking is the main cause of home fires and injuries no matter the season. From frying a turkey to making pies, be sure to follow these tips to prevent cooking fires.

  • Stand by your pan – if you leave your kitchen, turn the burner off.
  • Watch what you’re cooking. If you see any smoke, or grease starts to boil, turn the burner off.
  • Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove to prevent them being bumped or pulled over.
  • Keep a pan lid or baking sheet nearby to put out pan fires.

Home fire fatalities increase during the winter. To make sure communities know about the increased risk, USFA partners with the National Fire Protection Association to Put a Freeze on Winter Fires. The initiative focuses on hazards that may increase a family’s risk of having a house fire. Follow #winterfiresafety on your social channels.

Additional Resources