Many residents decorate their homes with Christmas trees, lights and other decorations during the holiday season.
While these elements can be used safely to add holiday cheer to a home, they can also pose a fire hazard or other risk.
Casey Perry, assistant Bangor fire chief, shared some of the most common issues he and other firefighters see in Bangor homes around the holiday season.
While these tips are important, Perry said it’s critical for residents to have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout their homes.
Check holiday string lights
Modern string lights in good condition aren’t a large fire risk, as most use LED bulbs that don’t generate as much heat as their incandescent counterparts. However, residents should check the wires to make sure they aren’t frayed or damaged before installing them, Perry said.
Any lights should also be turned off when residents leave the house or go to bed, Perry said.
If lights are going to be used outside, residents need to ensure they’re rated for outdoor use, meaning they’re able to withstand wet environments. The tag on the lights or the package they came in should have that information, Perry said.
If someone is going to use a ladder to string lights on a house, they should have someone stabilize the ladder base and make sure it isn’t placed on ice. Additionally, someone should only go as high as they’re comfortable and watch for overhead electrical wires while using the ladder, Perry said.
Keep combustibles away from cooking appliances
It’s common for kitchen counters and other areas of the home to become more cluttered with decorations, cooking supplies or hosting needs during the holiday season. When it’s time to cook, those things could be moved around and placed too close to stoves and ovens, Perry said.
“If you have a home that usually has four or five people living there and suddenly you’ve got 12 or 14 people there for a meal, things get cluttered pretty quickly,” Perry said.
Perry said people inadvertently placing “combustibles,” anything from decorative dish towels to food packaging, too close to the stove is the fire hazard he and other Bangor firefighters most commonly see in local homes.
Be careful with Christmas trees
Christmas trees should be kept at least 3 feet away from any heat sources and shouldn’t block any doors, Perry said.
If residents are bringing live trees into their homes, it’s important to keep them watered so they don’t dry out. Before putting the tree up, Perry recommended cutting a few inches off the base of the trunk to allow the tree to take in new water.
The tree dropping more needles and not drinking much water are signs the tree is drying up and should be brought outside, Perry said.
“Christmas tree fires are rare, but when they do happen, they happen so fast and burn hot,” Perry said. “When they stop drinking water and dry out, it’s like having gasoline sitting in your house.”
While Bangor firefighters rarely respond to fires started by Christmas trees, Perry said they see trees every year that have dried out and are a danger to the household.
Use secondary heating sources with caution
Many people play host in their homes during the holiday season, which means guests may be sleeping in rooms that are otherwise unused.
This can require secondary heating sources, such as space heaters or electric blankets, to keep guests comfortable. While these are fine to use, they should be used only in rooms with working smoke detectors while people are nearby, Perry said.
Perry also advised residents to opt for battery operated candles instead of real ones. But, if someone is going to light a candle, it should never be left unattended or placed too close to anything that could catch fire.