How to avoid a Christmas house fire
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Did you know that both Christmas Day and Christmas Eve sit as two of the top days each year for house fires?
Although beautiful to look at, Christmas trees can be very dangerous if not properly taken care of or watered daily.
Susan McKelvey with the National Fire Protection Association said, “Even artificial trees, they are just large combustible items. They do present the risk of fire.”
Between 2014 and 2018, fire departments nationwide responded to an average of 160 home fires that started with Christmas trees. These fires caused an annual average of two deaths, 14 injuries, and more than $10 million in direct property damage.
“You also want to make sure that [your tree is] not in a location that is too close to a heat source, whether that’s a fireplace, your radiator. If you are decorating with candles, you want to make sure candles are well away from the tree,” said McKelvey.
However, it’s not just Christmas trees you need to be worried about. Christmas, if not done safely, can be a dangerous holiday. According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are 770 home structure fires per year stemming from decorations. One of the more common culprits is candles. More than half of the home decoration fires in December are started by them.
McKelvey said, “If you are going to use real candles, make sure they are on a real sturdy base in a location where they can’t be easily knocked into or bumped over. And you need to keep a very close eye on them.”
But the biggest cause of fire isn't candles, it's cooking. In fact, cooking is the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries and the second leading cause of home fire deaths. And with more people expected to stay home, McKelvey says we could see even more cooking-related fires this year.
“The leading cause of home cooking fires is unattended cooking. So you really got to keep a close eye on what you are cooking in the kitchen in addition to making sure the area is clear of clutter," McKelvey said.
Have a great holiday, but keep in mind that carefully decorating your home and mindfully cooking your meals can help make your holidays safer.
