ABSTRACT
This report offers tips for fire safety during the winter holidays, including how to respond safely if a fire occurs.
Many features of Christmas and other winter holiday celebrations can increase the risk of a fire.
Decorating homes and workplaces is a popular winter holiday tradition in South Carolina. While these decorations boost spirits during the cold, dark months, they can also increase the fire risk. On average, 835 home fires begin with holiday decorations each year - not including Christmas trees. Many popular holiday activities, like cooking, also increase fire risk. But there are things you can do to help reduce the risk of fires during your Christmas celebrations or other holiday traditions.
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Holiday Fire Statistics in the U.S.
December and January are the top months for home fires involving candles.
According to the National Fire Prevention Association:
- Christmas trees alone start an average of 155 home fires each year.
- In December, candles start an average of 46 percent of all home fires.
Here, we offer tips for fire safety during the winter holidays. In this report, you’ll find:
- The most common causes of holiday fires and how to prevent fires,
- How to respond safely if a fire occurs,
- How to choose a fire extinguisher and other safety equipment,
- What to do if someone is injured in a holiday fire.
After a serious injury, an experienced South Carolina injury attorney may be able to help you seek compensation. Talk to the team at the Steinberg Law Firm to learn more.
Common Causes of Holiday Fires
Many features of winter holiday celebrations can increase the risk of a fire.
Here are several common causes of holiday fires and ways to reduce the fire risk.
Holiday Lighting
String lights are a popular sight during the winter holidays. Households use them to decorate trees, banisters, and mantels, to add festivity to a room, or to deck the entire house and yard.
Yet holiday lights also increase the risk of fire. Holiday lights are involved in 41 percent of home Christmas tree fires, according to the National Fire Prevention Association.
To reduce the risk of fire from holiday lights:
Inspect your lights before putting them up each year.
Replace the lights if you find frayed wires, bare wiring, or pinched wires. Plug lights in and feel them before placing them; if any part of the wire or bulbs overheat, do not use them. Replace any broken bulbs, even if they still light up.
Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
The instructions often explain how many light strands to connect. They may also clarify the type of lightbulbs, electrical outlets and connectors, or electrical supply to use.
Turn lights off.
Turn the lights off when you leave the house or go to bed.
Use certified lights.
Use only lights evaluated or certified by a nationally recognized organization, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
Replace lights that are more than 20 years old.
“Vintage” may be a good look for ornaments or other decorations, but it can make holiday lights dangerous to use. Look for updated versions of old classics, or use the vintage light string in a way that doesn’t require it to be plugged in.
In some cases, hidden defects in holiday lights can cause serious injuries. If this occurs, talk to a knowledgeable South Carolina injury lawyer about your legal options.
Christmas Trees Burn Hot and Fast
Christmas or Yule trees are a popular holiday decoration. Yet a dry Christmas tree can burn hot and fast. A tree can set everything around it on fire, creating a danger that spreads rapidly.
To enjoy a safer evergreen in your home this winter:
Consider a reusable artificial tree or a planted tree.
Many artificial trees look very similar to real trees. If you choose an artificial tree, look for one made with fire-resistant materials. Another option is a live tree planted in a planter or outdoors. These trees can more easily absorb water from the soil and thus avoid drying out.
Cut a natural tree at a 45-degree angle at the base and place it in water.
This combination maximizes the tree’s ability to soak up water, helping to prevent it from drying out.
Check your tree’s water needs at least once per day.
The winter holidays can be quite dry, especially indoors. Check your tree at least once per day and water it whenever needed.
Choose fire-resistant holiday decorations.
Approximately one-third of home Christmas tree fires stem from electrical problems with holiday lights, according to FEMA. Choose fire-resistant decorations like glass or metal ornaments to reduce fire risk.
Keep your tree at least three feet from any heat source.
Look for radiators, fireplaces, candles, ovens and stoves, space heaters, and other heat sources. Keep the tree at least three feet from these. Over half of all holiday fires start because a tree is too close to a heat source, according to the US Fire Administration.
Finally, say goodbye to your tree once it dries out. It’s often wise to choose a natural tree about a week before a holiday celebration and then dispose of it soon after.
Holiday Light and Tree Safety Tips for Reducing the Risk of Fires
Holiday Decorations and Candles
Holiday Decorations
Holiday lights aren’t the only fire risk. Other holiday decorations can also ignite easily, increasing the risk that a fire will start or spread. According to the US Fire Administration, nearly half of holiday decoration fires happen when decorations are placed too close to a heat source.
For safer holiday decorations this winter:
Choose fire-resistant materials.
Many holiday garlands can be found in fire-resistant materials. Similarly, decorations for windows, walls, and furniture should be fire-resistant as well. Look for materials marked “flame-retardant,” or choose naturally fire-resistant materials like metal, ceramics, and glass.
Keep decorations away from heat sources.
Avoid placing decorations within three feet of candles, fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, space heaters, stoves and ovens, and similar heat sources.
Turn off and extinguish.
Make sure lights are off and candles are out before you leave the house or go to bed.
In addition, make sure that all holiday decorations, including holiday trees, do not block exits. If a fire occurs, a blocked exit can make it more difficult for everyone to exit safely.
Candles
Candles are a staple of many winter holiday traditions, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas. Yet candles also create an open flame, which can increase the risk of a fire.
To use your winter holiday candles safely:
Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn.
This includes holiday decorations, curtains and lampshades, holiday trees, wrapping paper, and other materials.
Use a stable candle holder.
Many families use a menorah, kinara, Advent wreath, or candle holders that have been passed down as family heirlooms. When you remove yours from its holiday storage, check to make sure it’s still sturdy. Repair or replace it if needed.
Place candles where they cannot be knocked over easily.
For example, place candles in the center of the dining table rather than at the edge. Avoid placing candles on windowsills, where a passing person, pet, or moving curtain could knock them over.
Tie back hair and wear natural materials when handling candles.
Human hair can burn easily. Synthetic clothing materials like polyester can melt if they catch fire, causing serious injuries.
Keep candles away from young children and pets.
A candle flame can fascinate children or pets, but it can also injure them. Keep candles away from kids and pets, and teach children to handle candles carefully.
Never leave a burning candle unattended.
Always watch burning candles carefully. Don’t walk out of the room, even for a minute. Put out candles when you are finished using them during your holiday celebrations.
For holiday safety when decorating with candles, the US Fire Administration recommends using battery-operated flameless candles. These candles can be placed on a tree, windowsill, or in a wreath without posing the same dangers as real candles. Some options even flicker like real candles or smell similar to scented candles.
Fireplaces and Wood Stoves
Fireplaces and wood stoves can provide a cozy source of heat and a gathering place for your family and friends. Yet they can also increase the risk of a house fire.
To reduce the risk of house fires from fireplaces and wood stoves, FEMA recommends that homeowners take the following steps:
Perform regular maintenance.
Have a professional inspect and clean your chimney or stovepipe each year. If your fireplace or stove begins to sputter or have difficulty drawing air correctly, do not use them until you have them cleaned.
Create a “safety zone” around your fireplace or stove.
Keep all flammable materials at least three feet away from the fireplace or wood stove. Teach children and pets not to go into this zone.
Tie back long hair and wear natural materials.
Hair can catch fire, and synthetic fabrics can melt, causing severe injuries. Tie back long hair and choose natural clothing materials like cotton or wool when working with your fireplace or wood stove.
Avoid burning paper in a fireplace or wood stove.
Paper rarely burns completely. Embers or burning paper flakes can scatter, starting a fire outside the fireplace or wood stove. Instead, use fire starters that can combust completely, like paraffin.
Put out the fire before you leave or go to sleep.
Make sure the fire is out completely. Never leave your burning fireplace or wood stove unattended.
Handle ashes safely.
Let the fireplace or wood stove burn out completely before removing the ashes. Place ashes in a metal container with a lid. Remove the container from your home, placing it at least ten feet away from the building.
Fireplaces and wood stoves also offer safety considerations unique to each. For better fireplace safety:
Use a glass or metal fireplace screen.
A screen can keep sparks or embers from leaping out of the fireplace.
Consider a non-fire-based alternative.
“Flameless” fireplace inserts mimic the movement and heat of a natural fire while reducing fire risk. These inserts also eliminate the need to clean up ashes. If you use one of these items, keep switches and remote controls out of the reach of children. Turn them off before you go to bed.
To keep yourself and others safer around your wood stove:
Make sure your wood stove has been tested by a qualified source.
Check your wood stove’s manual for testing and certification information.
Check the stove regularly for damage.
Damage to the door, hinges, handle, draft mechanism, feet, walls, or stovepipe could all lead to fire escaping the stove and causing damage. Check your wood stove for damage periodically. Get any issues fixed before using the stove.
Keep the door closed.
Only open the door to load the stove or stoke a fire. Keeping the door closed also allows you to control the burn rate, which can lead to better temperature control and more efficient use of fuel.
Cooking and Baking
Cooking is a top cause of home fires and home fire injuries, according to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA). It’s also the second most common cause of death in home fires.
Cooking-related fires and fire injuries peak during Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and Christmas Eve. Approximately 66 percent of home cooking fires start when food or other cooking materials, like towels, catch fire. Unattended stoves, ovens, and other equipment cause about 29 percent of home cooking fires and over half of home cooking fire deaths each year.
To reduce the risk of a cooking fire this holiday season:
Stay in the kitchen as you cook.
It’s especially important to stay in the kitchen while using the cooktop - over half of cooking-related fires result from cooktop use. Tend the stove while you fry, boil, grill, or broil food. Turn off the stove if you leave the kitchen.
Use a timer to remind you about cooking food.
Set a timer to remind you to check on the oven. Consider using a timer on your smartphone. Carry your phone with you so you can hear the timer anywhere in the house.
Create “clear zones” in the kitchen.
Use a “clear zone” around the cooktop to keep oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, and other flammable objects away from the stove and oven. Designate a “kid-free zone” for at least three feet around the stove and oven to help avoid burn injuries for kids. During the holidays, you might even use painter’s tape to outline this zone and remind kids to stay away.
Cooking with oil raises certain additional risks. Oil can easily ignite. An oil or grease fire cannot be extinguished with water. When cooking with oil:
Stay in the kitchen, at the stove, and monitor your cooking.
Oil smokes when it is too hot and about to catch fire. Watch for wisps of smoke or the smell of burning or overheating oil. If you spot them, turn the burner off or carefully remove the pan from the burner.
Think “slow and gentle.”
Heat oil slowly to avoid smoking or burning. When you add food to hot oil, add it gently to avoid splattering hot oil on yourself or others.
Keep a lid within reach.
If smoking or fire occurs, slide the lid onto the pan and let it sit until the pan has cooled completely.
With your house full of guests, holiday cooking can get hectic. Plan ahead to reduce the risk of cooking fires.
Dos and Do Nots of House Fires
House fires can start in an instant and spread quickly. If you spot smoke or fire, you have limited time to respond. Knowing what not to do in these moments is as important as knowing what to do.
If a fire starts during the holidays:
DO NOT panic.
Move fast, but move with purpose. Know what to do in case of fire, so you can make choices instead of panicking.
DO NOT open doors or windows.
This includes oven or microwave doors! Opening doors or windows lets in oxygen, which feeds a fire. Focus on extinguishing the flames if you can. Only open a door or window if you need to exit the building.
DO NOT hide from the fire.
Your survival instincts may tell you to hide from danger, but hiding from a fire puts you at risk. “Hide” by going outdoors, a safe distance from the building.
DO NOT stand too close to the fire.
Stand as far away as possible while attempting to extinguish a fire. If you stand too close, you risk catching your clothes on fire or burning yourself.
DO NOT use water on an oil or grease fire.
Water can spread the flames. Instead, smother an oil or grease fire by putting the lid on a pan.
DO NOT aim the fire extinguisher at the top of the flames.
Instead, aim at the base of the fire.
DO NOT stop to grab your belongings as you leave.
If you’re evacuating the house from a fire, don’t stop to grab any belongings. Things can be replaced; your life cannot.
DO NOT run back inside during a house fire.
A house fire can double in size every minute it burns. Running back inside could cost you your life.
Finally, if you’re dealing with insurance companies after a house fire, DO NOT force yourself to fight alone. Talk to an experienced South Carolina injury lawyer for assistance.
What To Do If There is a Fire
The best way to avoid the “do nots” during a house fire is to know what to do instead. Plan and prepare so you know how to respond if a fire occurs.
For any household fire, remember the basic rule: When in doubt, get out! If your initial attempts to put out a fire don’t work or you don’t feel comfortable handling a fire, get everyone out of the house. Call 911 from outside the house.
Planning and Preparation
Every second counts when a fire starts. Create a home fire escape plan. With your family, practice the plan at least twice a year.
Identify at least two ways out of each room.
If one exit is blocked by fire or smoke, you can use the other. These exits may be two doors or doorways or one door and a window large enough to escape through.
Check windows to ensure they open.
Make sure windows open, screens detach quickly, and security bars open from the inside.
Practice moving around your house in the dark or with your eyes closed.
During a fire, smoke can quickly make it impossible to see. Make sure you can feel your way out of your house.
Check the batteries in your smoke alarms.
Replace batteries at least twice per year. Make sure you have a working smoke alarm in each bedroom, as well as one on each floor of your home. For additional protection, consider an automatic sprinkler system.
Check your fire extinguisher and update it as needed.
Fire extinguishers can expire too! Check the date on yours. Also, lift the extinguisher: If it feels bottom-heavy, it needs to be replaced.
Make digital copies of essential records, like birth certificates.
Keep these records in a safe place off-site.
Planning, preparation, and practice can help you respond safely if a holiday fire occurs.
Safety Tips During a Fire
After a fire, keep these safety tips in mind:
Use disaster services.
Reach out to local disaster services like The Red Cross for help accessing temporary housing, food, and medication.
Contact your homeowners insurance, renters insurance, and/or mortgage company.
Stick to the facts. Tell them the fire occurred and give the date and time. Don’t assign fault or blame - wait until a fire department investigation reveals the facts.
Check with experts first.
Don’t enter your house until the fire department tells you it is safe to do so. Don’t try to reconnect utilities yourself; ask the fire department if the utilities are safe to use, or hire a professional if utilities have been disconnected.
Take stock of your belongings.
Ask friends and family for help in determining what has been damaged, what can be salvaged, and what is a total loss. Keep damaged items until you have a complete inventory. Take photos of the damage.
Collect all your paperwork related to the fire.
Save all receipts from the money you spend related to the fire. For example, if you buy a new winter coat to replace the one you lost in the fire, save that receipt.
Finally, reach out for help after a fire. The Red Cross can provide recommendations for assistance. You or a family member may need medical care after a fire, or you may benefit from speaking to a licensed counselor or therapist.
If you suffered burns related to a holiday fire caused by someone's negligence, reach out to the burn injury lawyers at the Steinberg Law Firm.
A dedicated South Carolina injury lawyer can help you navigate the process of receiving compensation for medical care and other losses after a fire caused by others' negligence. Pursuing a burn injury lawsuit can help compensate you for your accident-related costs and the impact that the incident had on your life.
How To Know If You Have the Right Fire Extinguisher
Not every fire extinguisher can put out every fire.
Fire extinguishers can save lives and property when used correctly. Yet not every fire extinguisher can put out every fire. Different types of fire extinguishers contain different substances which are designed for different types of fires.
Here’s how to choose the right fire extinguisher.
Types of Fire Extinguishers
There are five main types of fire extinguishers. Each type is designed to put out different kinds of fires.
Class A
Class A extinguishers focus on everyday materials like cloth, wood, and paper.
Class B
Class B extinguishers are designed for flammable liquids, including grease, gasoline, oil, and oil-based paints.
Class C
Class C extinguishers are built to put out electrical fires, including electrical fires that result from an item that is plugged into an outlet. The agents in these extinguishers do not conduct electricity, as water can.
Class D
Class D extinguishers focus on flammable metals like magnesium. These extinguishers are commonly found in factories.
Class K
Class K extinguishers are specifically designed to handle fires fueled by oils and fats, including both vegetable and animal oils. They’re a common sight in commercial kitchens.
Many home fire extinguishers contain extinguishing agents that can cover multiple classes. Consider buying an extinguisher labeled “A-B-C” to ensure that your extinguisher can cover all of the most common types of holiday fires.
What To Look for in a Fire Extinguisher
Classification is not the only thing to look for.
In addition to checking the type of extinguisher, look for these features in a fire extinguisher as well.
Certification: Look for a label that says “UL Listed” or “ULC Listed.” These labels indicate the extinguisher is certified for use by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
Size and Weight: Choose an extinguisher that every adult in your family can carry and operate safely and comfortably. Consider adding multiple smaller extinguishers to your home instead of one large extinguisher - especially if the large extinguisher is difficult for family members to handle.
Classification Label: Classification labels indicate both the fire extinguisher’s class (A, B, C, D, or K) and the size of the fire the extinguisher can handle. For example, a fire extinguisher with the label “1A:10B:C” indicates the extinguisher will provide the equivalent of 1.25 gallons of water for a Class A fire, extinguish a Class B fire up to 10 square feet in size, and will work on Class C fires.
When to Use a Fire Extinguisher
Fire extinguishers work best on smaller fires that match the extinguisher’s classification rating. For example, a Class B extinguisher is best for an oil or grease fire in a small saucepan.
Before using the extinguisher:
- Warn others there is a fire and encourage them to get out of the building.
- Have someone call the fire department.
- Check to see if the fire is small and contained in a single object. If the fire is large or spreading, leave the building.
- Make sure you’re safe from any toxic smoke or gases the fire could emit.
- Make sure you have a clear escape route before attempting to extinguish the fire.
To use a fire extinguisher, think PASS:
- Pull the pin. Point the nozzle of the fire extinguisher away from your body.
- Aim low. Aim the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
- Squeeze the lever or trigger slowly and evenly.
- Sweep the nozzle from side to side.
Include checks of your fire extinguisher in your twice-yearly fire prevention plan practice. If your extinguisher’s pressure is not in the recommended range, the extinguisher is damaged, dented, or rusted, or the expiration date has passed, replace the fire extinguisher.
If someone is injured due to a holiday fire, seek medical attention right away.
Call 911 in an emergency, or take the person to the nearest emergency room. Urgent care centers can also provide immediate care for minor injuries.
Even if you’re not burned in a fire, see a doctor as soon as you can. Smoke inhalation can cause injuries or illnesses that may take time to manifest. A doctor can examine your overall health and provide a treatment plan.
Reach out to an experienced South Carolina injury lawyer if you or someone you love has been injured in a house fire caused by someone else's negligence. An experienced burn injury attorney can help victims determine fault and apportion liability.
The dedicated South Carolina personal injury lawyers at the Steinberg Law Firm can help you understand your rights and help you hold the parties responsible for your injuries financially accountable. The team at the Steinberg Law Firm can help.