What the Numbers Tell Us About Holiday Season Fires | SERVPRO® of East Mecklenburg/Matthews

2/18/2021 (Permalink)

Make sure your fire risk is low during the holiday season. If you experience any damage, SERVPRO of East Mecklenburg/Matthews will be here to help.

Fires are unfortunate at any time of the year, but when they occur around the holidays, there are many family memories and special moments that can be tainted. Though there is no way to fully guarantee that a fire is not a possibility, by knowing exactly what causes holiday fires, you can better work to prevent them as you go through your holiday celebrations.

Today we will be looking at data from the National Fire Protection Association as well as information from the Red Cross to examine why these fires occur and how we can work to prevent them.

Reasons Behind Decoration Fires During the Holiday Season

Many fires we see during the holiday season are due to decoration mishaps—while decorating is a fun, festive activity, it is important to be fire-safe while you do it. Here is a look at leading causes of decoration fires:

• Candles are a leading cause of holiday season fires, with more than half of all December fires being started by them.
• Candle fires are most likely to occur on holidays, with Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day being the top days for them.
• If you celebrate Christmas, be careful around the tree—they are associated with one out of every four fires during the winter season.
• Christmas tree fires are also often deadly, leading to fatalities in one out of every 52 incidents.
• Lights are another leading cause of Christmas tree fires, as they can overheat or spark if they are frayed.

Other Reasons Why Winter Fires Are Likely to Occur

In addition to decoration-related fire incidents, winter tends to see an uptick in other types of fires as well:

• Cooking, always the leading cause of house fires, also causes more fires during the winter.
• The use of space heaters in the winter can cause surrounding objects to easily catch on fire if they are left unattended.
• Fireplaces should be treated with caution, just as any open flame would be.

Fire damage can be devastating, especially around the holiday season. If you are in need of fire restoration, we can help you on any day of the year—contact us today to learn more.