Burn candles safely

Tis the season for  - candles. We use candles in jack-o-lanterns at Halloween, for centerpieces at Thanksgiving and all through the house during the Christmas and New Year season. We even stock up on them to use in the event that a winter storm disrupts electric service. Candles provide a delightful source of light and fragrance, especially during the holidays. However, they can also lead to injury or even death if not used properly. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), the month of December typically has twice the number of home candle fires than an average month. As we move closer to December, please keep in mind the following fire safety information.

 According to the NFPA, candle fires occur most often in the bedroom (45.2 percent), the family room (17.5 percent) and the bathroom (11.2 percent). Materials typically ignited by candles include cabinetry, bedding, pillows and curtains. Most startling – 85 percent of candle fire incidents were started because of consumer misuse.

 Below are some tips for keeping you and your family safe when using candles:

• Extinguish all candle flames when leaving the room or going to sleep.
• Keep candles at least one foot away from things that can catch fire, like clothing, books and curtains.
• Use candle holders that are sturdy, won’t turn over easily and are made of material that cannot burn. In addition, the candle holder should be large enough to collect dripping wax.
• Keep candle wicks trimmed to one-quarter inch and extinguish taper and pillar candles when they get to within two inches of the holder. Votives should be extinguished before the last half-inch of wax starts to melt.
• During power outages, avoid having to carry a lit candle. Use flashlights instead.
• NFPA discourages the use of candles in bedrooms and sleeping areas.

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