Fire marshal: Candles leading cause of holiday fires

More than one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles, according to fire experts.

More than two of every five home decoration fires occur due to decorations placed too close to a heat source, according to a report cited by the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal.

The National Fire Protection Association reports U.S. fire departments in total respond to an estimated average of 853 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees, according to a news release from the state fire marshal.

Between 2018-2022, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 155 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year.

Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in more than two in five homes, according to the release. As Christmas trees dry out, they become more and more flammable.

Thirty-six percent of Christmas tree fires were in January. Although Christmas tree fires are not common, they can grow very fast, according to the release.

Candle fires peak in December followed closely by January. More than half of home decoration fires in December are started by candles, according to the release.

The top three days for home candle fires are Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and New Year’s Eve. Before you head to bed or out for the evening, extinguish all lit candles, according to the release.

“Decorations create a festive environment in homes during the holiday season, but these decorations can increase the risk of an accidental fire if proper steps and precautions are not followed,” Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera said in the release.

“If you are planning to host family and friends during the holidays, make sure they are aware of your fire escape plan. Show them where all the exits are in your home and make sure they are aware of a meeting spot location in case of fire,” Rivera said.

The OSFM will once again host the Keep the Wreath Red Campaign at its offices in Springfield and Chicago, along with the Quinn Fire Academy in Chicago and the Illinois Fire Service Institute in Champaign.

This campaign raises awareness about the importance of fire safety during the holiday season, now through Jan. 2. Unfortunately, last year nine lives were lost in fire-related incidents during the holiday season in Illinois, according to the release.

The Keep the Wreath Red campaign began in 1954 in Naperville to raise awareness about holiday fire safety. White light bulbs will replace the red bulbs when a fire-related death is reported in the state, according to the release.

The goal of the campaign each year is to raise awareness and help prevent fire deaths from occurring.

Safety tips

Here are some tips to keep in mind to stay safe when decking the halls this holiday season.

• Be careful with holiday decorations. Make sure decorations are either flame retardant or flame resistant.
• Keep lit candles at least 12 inches away from decorations or anything that can catch fire.
• Keep children and pets away from lit candles.
• Extinguish all lit candles before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Check to make sure your lights are rated for indoor or outdoor use or both.
• Replace any light strands that have worn or broken cords. Make sure to read the recommendation for the number of light strings you can string together.
• Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.
• If you have a real Christmas tree, make sure to check water levels daily. It is not unusual for a tree to drink two gallons of water the first day it is in the stand.
• Keep real Christmas trees away from a heat source. It can dry out the tree quickly.