Why the Holidays Raise the Risk of Fires
It’s the most wonderful time of the year—as long as you take all appropriate fire prevention precautions. Unfortunately, the holidays are also a peak time for structural fires, particularly in homes. Understand the common causes of holiday-related fires, and take steps to protect your family this season.
Decorations
Holiday-related decorations are one potential fire hazard. Christmas trees in particular are highly flammable. If a Christmas tree catches on fire, it can become engulfed quickly and spread to the rest of the room. The situation worsens if the tree is near highly flammable materials like curtains or furniture. The risk of a tree fire increases when the tree becomes dried out. This is why many Christmas tree fires occur in January, as homeowners water their trees less often and prepare to dispose of them. Interior and exterior string lights are also a potential fire hazard. It’s essential to carefully inspect each component of string lights for signs of damage before setting them up.
Candles and Fireplaces
A candle-lit table provides a delightful ambience for a holiday meal with your family. But according to the U.S. Fire Administration, candles are responsible for sparking two out of every five house fires related to decorations. Consider using LED candles instead, especially if you have young children who may accidentally knock over candles. Fireplaces are another common cause of structural fires during the holidays. Have your chimney cleaned out by a professional before using the fireplace. Keep a fire screen in front of it to prevent embers from flying out, and keep all flammable objects at least three feet away from the fireplace.
Meal Preparation
Cooking fires are more common during the holiday season. One of the reasons for this is the element of distraction. When relatives are visiting, it’s easy to forget that you have something cooking on the stove. This can result in a fire. Never leave the stove unattended when it’s in use.
You can protect your residential or commercial building from devastating fires with help from Kazal Fire Protection, Inc. We install customized fire protection systems, and we provide maintenance and inspection services. Call our office in Tucson at (520) 323-1518.