Taking steps to keep your home safe from fire hazards is important at any
time of year, but extra precautions should be taken during the winter
months.

Half of all heating fires

occur in December, January, and February. And the holidays, with decorations
and busy kitchens, create even more risks around the house.

Here are some of the most common winter fire hazards found in homes, as well
as some advice on how to keep your home safe.

Fireplaces and stoves

Fireplaces and wood, pellet, or coal stoves make for a cozy, warm home
during the cold winter months, but they also can be dangerous if they’re not
managed properly. If you have a fireplace or stove in your home, be sure to

take these safety precautions

every time they’re used:

• Make sure they have clean chimneys before firing them up for the season.
Over time, burning wood can produce a buildup of flammable creosote on the
inside of the chimney flue.

• Be sure the damper is open before you light a fire. Don’t close the damper
until the fire has died out and the embers are cold.

• Burn only the proper material in your fireplace and/or stove.

• For a fireplace, use a screen to prevent sparks and embers from flying out.
For a stove, keep the door closed and use a fire screen.

• Don’t keep ashes indoors. Store cooled ashes outside in a tightly covered
metal container at least 10 feet from any building.

Electric space heaters

Portable

electric space heaters

are a convenient way to heat the room you’re in, but they can pose a serious
safety risk if they’re not operated correctly.

• Only use heaters that have been certified by a recognized testing
laboratory.

• Don’t use a heater if its plug or cord is in bad shape.

• Plug heaters directly into an outlet — not into an extension cord or power
strip.

• Only use heaters for supplemental heat. Don’t use them to dry clothes, cook
food, heat up bedding, or thaw pipes.

• Put heaters on flat, level, uncarpeted surfaces where no one is likely to
trip over them.

• Keep heaters at least three feet away from anything flammable.

• Unplug heaters when you’re not using them.

Christmas trees

They may make your home merry and bright, but Christmas trees can be a fire
hazard. Fortunately, there are

simple steps

you can take to keep your home safe throughout the holiday season:

• Make sure the tree doesn’t block any exits and isn’t close to a heat source,
such as a vent or radiator.

• Use a stand that can hold it securely and keep it watered for at least two
days.

• Never use decorations that are flammable.

• Make sure the lights you put on your tree have been certified by a
recognized testing laboratory and don’t have frayed cords, bare wires, or
other signs of wear.

• Avoid connecting more than three strands of lights or LED and non-LED light
strands.

• Don’t put the cords to the lights

under rugs or carpeting.

• Be careful not to overload extension cords or outlets.

• Turn off the lights before going out, going to bed, or leaving your home.

Candles

The best way to reduce the fire risk posed by candles is to

use flameless ones instead, but if you prefer traditional candles:

• Don’t use them for emergency lighting in a power outage. Use a flashlight
instead.

• Follow the

manufacturers’ recommendations

for burn time and proper use, as well as any

warning labels

for them.

• Trim wicks to ¼ inch before you light it.

• Use sturdy candleholders that won’t tip over.

• Put candles in well-ventilated rooms, away from flammable objects and
drafts, vents, or air currents; out of the reach of children and pets; and
at least three inches away from other candles.

• Never leave candles unattended.

Cooking

The holidays and playoff football weekends mean more cooking
for many households. To prevent a kitchen fire,

you should: