Festive celebrations, flickering lights and winter greens are hallmarks of the holiday season, but they also present fire risks that can quickly turn this festive time of year into a devastating one. The National Fire Protection Association has these winter holiday fire facts:
- Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in almost half of home Christmas tree fires.
- More than two of every five (42%) home Christmas tree fires started in the living room. -Five percent were chimney or flue fires. One-fifth (21%) of the decoration fires started in the kitchen. Sixteen percent started in the living room, family room or den.
- Half (51%) of December home decoration fires were started by candles, compared to one-third (32%) in January to November.
The NFPA provides a comprehensive list of holiday safety ideas on its website.
