As the holidays rapidly approach us during this dark winter season, there’s nothing like the warmth, simple beauty and coziness of lit candles and a glowing fireplace.

However, as beautiful and enticing the flames of the holidays may be, we at Security Specialists urge you to use caution as the holiday season is one of the most dangerous times of the year for household fires.

In fact, residential fires during the holiday season are more frequent, more costly, and more deadly than at any other time of the year. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reports more than double the number of open-flame fires on Christmas Day than on an average day, and about twice as many on New Year’s Day. And when those fires occur, they do more damage: Property loss during a holiday fire is 34% greater than in an average fire, and the number of fatalities per thousand fires is nearly 70% higher. When the source of the fire is a highly flammable Christmas tree, the toll in property and lives is even greater.

To keep your household from becoming a holiday fire statistic, here are some safety tips to follow:

• If you’re going to use your fireplace, always use a fireplace screen to prevent embers from escaping onto your floor
• Check and clean the chimney and fireplace area at least once a year
• When cleaning out the fireplace, put embers in a metal container and set them outside to cool for 24 hours before disposal
• Don’t burn trees, wreaths or wrapping paper in the fireplace
• Never leave burning candles unattended or sleep in a room with a lit candle
• Keep candles out of reach of children
• Make sure candles are on stable surfaces
• Don’t burn candles near trees, curtains or any other flammable items
• For atmosphere without worry, consider using flameless LED candles
• Consider investing in a fire detection system

All of Us at Security Specialists Wish You and Yours a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!