ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — According to St. Johns County Fire Rescue, Christmas trees, holiday decorations, cooking and baking all contribute to an annual increase in U.S. home fires during the winter months.
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People can add a little awareness and some basic safety precautions can significantly help reduce the risk of fire, SJFR says.
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Here are some helpful tips from the NFPA:
Christmas tree & decoration fires
- Carefully decorating your home can help make your holidays safer. Between 2017-2021, US fire departments responded to an average of 150 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. US fire departments responded to an estimated average of 793 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees.
- In the throes of holiday shopping and decorating? Also see: UL white paper: Reducing the Fire Hazard of Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Trees
Christmas tree disposal
- As Christmas trees dry out, they become more and more flammable. Thirty percent of Christmas tree fires were in January. Although Christmas tree fires are not common, they can grow very fast.
Holiday cooking
- In 2021, the three leading dates for home structure fires caused by cooking were: Thanksgiving, Christmas day and Christmas Eve. That’s why it’s important to know what you can do to help keep your friends and family safe while entertaining for the holidays.
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