To help everyone enjoy a fire-safe holiday season, the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is encouraging everyone to be aware
of potential fire risks, and to take steps to minimize them.
“Fire can quickly turn this festive time of year into a
tragic one,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of NFPA’s Outreach and
Advocacy division. “Fortunately, when decorating your home and entertaining
guests, following some simple safety precautions can go a long way toward
enjoying a fire-safe holiday season.”
Following are NFPA’s
holiday-related fire statistics:
•Christmas trees: Christmas tree fires are not common, but
when they do occur, they’re much more likely to be deadly than most other
fires. One of every 45 reported home Christmas tree fires results in a death,
compared to an annual average of one death per 139 reported home fires.
Video caption: Side-by-side Christmas tree burn conducted by
the US Consumer Product Safety Commission demonstrates how quickly a dried out
tree burns vs. a well-hydrated one, underscoring the importance of watering
Christmas trees daily
•Candles: December is the peak time of year for home candle
fires. In 2016, the top three days for candle fires were Christmas Day, New
Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve. More than half (56 percent) of the December home
decoration fires were started by candles, compared to one-third (31 percent)
the remainder of the year.
•Holiday decorations: Between 2012 and 2016, U.S. fire
departments responded to an average of 800 home fires per year that began with
decorations (excluding Christmas trees). These fires caused an annual average
of two civilian deaths, 34 civilian injuries and $11 million in direct property
damage. One-fifth (19 percent) of these home decoration fires occurred in
December. One-fifth (21 percent) of decoration fires started in the kitchen; 15
percent started in the living room, family room or den.
•Holiday cooking: While cooking fires are the leading cause
of U.S. home fires and injuries year-round, Christmas Day ranked as the
second-leading day for home cooking fires in 2016 (behind Thanksgiving Day.) On
Christmas Day in 2016, there was a 73 percent increase in the number of home
cooking fires as compared to an average day.
NFPA offers a wealth of holiday fire safety tips and
information for consumers, along with tools and resources for local fire
departments to promote holiday fire safety in their communities. Visit
www.nfpa.org/holiday for more information.
For this release and other announcements about NFPA
initiatives, research and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.
About the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global self-funded nonprofit
organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss
due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers
information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards,
research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with
others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more
information, visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed
online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.
