Georgians Warned of Christmas Decoration Fire Hazards

This time of year, many people are decorating for Christmas inside and out, but Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John  King is urging Georgians to exercise caution with Christmas decorations.

Data from the National Fire Prevention Association shows that between 2017-2021, US fire departments responded to an average of 150 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. US fire departments responded to an estimated average of 793 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees.

Almost half of those fires were due to improper lighting equipment.

Those fires caused an annual average of one death, 26 fire-related injuries, and $13 million in property damage.

In recognition of the risks, King asks Georgians to follow the following tips for keeping their home and their decorations safe this holiday season.

  • If you have a real Christmas tree, make sure that your tree has fresh, green needles that do not fall off when they are touched. Check the water in the tree stand daily and add more water if needed.
  • Dry trees can become completely engulfed in flames in less than one minute. Keep your tree at least three feet from any heat source, including fireplaces, radiators, candles, or heat vents.
  • One in five tree fires could be traced to a heat source that was too close to the tree.
  • Check your boxes of Christmas lights to see if they have the label of a recognized testing laboratory and to verify whether they are indoor or outdoor lights.
  • Inspect all lights, decorations, and extension cords for cracks, damaged sockets, and loose or bare wires.
  • Turn off all decorations when you go to bed and when you leave the house.
  • And, keep lit candles away from Christmas trees, decorations, and other items that can burn. Candle fires peak in December and January with 11 percent of candle fires in each of these months.  Also, keep children and pets away from lit candles.

Year-round, one-third (33%) of home decoration fires were started by candles. This jumped to almost half in December, when candles started 46% of such fires. Cooking started one-fifth (19%) of decoration fires.

For more information on making sure Christmas decorations are safe visit the National Fire Protection Association page on Holiday Safety.