Put a Freeze on Winter Holiday Fires

"The winter holidays are a time for families and friends to get together. It’s fun to decorate for the winter holidays, but holiday decorations can increase your risk for a home fire. As you deck the halls this season, be fire smart.

Following a few simple tips can help make your holidays fire-safe:

· Water your live Christmas tree every day. A dry tree is a fire hazard. Trees too close to a heat source cause 1 in every 4 winter fires.

· Make sure you are using the right lights. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.

· Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.

· Choose holiday decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.

· Keep lit candles away from decorations and things that can burn. More than 1/3 of home decoration fires are started by candles. Consider using flameless candles, they look very similar and are safer.

· Blow out lit candles and turn off all light strings and decorations when leaving the room or going to bed.

· Make sure your decorations don’t block windows and doors.

Download the winter holiday fires infographic to share with your community or use the social media cards on your social outlets."