Holiday fire safety for the tree, the lights and the candles

A dry Christmas tree can burn very hot and very fast, and almost a third of home Christmas tree fires start with an electrical problem. Candles are dangerous when they tip over or sit too close to something that can burn, and an average of 20 home candle fires are reported every day. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, with about 170,000 home cooking fires in 2021.

The tree

• Water it every day
• Keep it 3 feet from heat sourcesThat includes fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles and heat vents. Keep it from blocking an exit too.
• Take it down when it dries outGet rid of it after Christmas, or sooner if it's dry.

The lights

• Check every strand before it goes up
• Throw out strands with frayed or pinched wires or loose bulbs
• Follow the maker's limit on how many strands to connectThe limit is in the instructions that came with the lights.
• Don't overload outlets or extension cords

Candles

• Flameless candlesBattery-operated ones can look, smell and feel like real candles.
• Use stable holders, set where they can't be knocked down
• Keep 12 inches clear around each candleNothing that can burn should be inside that distance.
• Blow candles out when you leave the room or go to bed
• Keep lit candles out of bedrooms, bathrooms and sleeping areas
• Use flashlights, not candles, in a power outage

The holiday meal

• Stay by the stove while you cookIf you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires that spread beyond the pan, at 37 percent.
• Turn the burner off if you see smoke or the grease starts to boilFires start when the heat is too high.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stoveThen nobody can bump them or pull a pot over.
• Keep a lid or a baking sheet by the stoveSlide it over a pan that catches fire to put the fire out.
• Never leave children alone near a lit stove or a burning candle

Before the guests arrive

Test the smoke alarms before the house fills up. There should be one on every level, including the basement. Find two ways out of each room, in case the main way is blocked by fire or smoke, and make sure everyone staying in the house knows them.