The winter season means it’s time to break out the candles, great food, and Christmas trees – but they all come with an increased risk of fire.
Lit Candles
According to the Naperville Fire Department, more than one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles.
“They’re usually pretty good about keeping it away from combustible materials, but they’ll let the candle keep on burning, they’ll walk out of the room and forget about it. Go to sleep, forget about it. And then it burns down right onto the counter or to materials that are nearby,” said Naperville Fire Marshal Scott Scheller.
A safer option is to use battery-powered candles instead.
Caution When Cooking
You also want to keep an eye on your food while cooking. Those holiday meals can be a fire hazard if you forget the burner on, so be sure to stay in the kitchen when using the stovetop.
Water Your Christmas Tree
Another holiday tradition of course is lighting up the Christmas tree. Before decorating, take about an inch off the bottom then place it in water to prevent it from getting dry.
“You should check the water at least every day because those trees, especially the fresh trees and new trees will absorb a considerable amount of water on a daily basis. And once the tree starts to lose the needles off of it when they get dry, that’s the time to take it out and get it out of the house,” said Scheller.
And don’t forget to turn those lights off before heading to bed.
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.
