Official websites use .gov

A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A **lock** () or **https://** means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Skip to main content

Visit the U.S. Fire Administration homepage

HotelsLibraryPublicationsBlogImage GalleryPodcastsAboutContact

            - Fire Academy - Courses
- Programs
- Admissions
- On-Campus Students
- About
- 
- Fire Academy Home

            - NFIRS - eNFIRS Applications
- Documentation
- Training
- Coding Help
- Reporting Guidelines
- Vendor Information
- Data Quality
- Access Data
- About NFIRS
- NERIS
- 
- NFIRS Home

            - Prevention - Home Fires
- Arson & Youth Firesetting
- Hotels & Vacation Rentals
- Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
- Vehicle Fires
- Workplace Fires
- Life Safety Hazards
- Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
- Fire Prevention Officials
- 
- Fire Prevention Home

            - Statistics - Reports
- Death & Injury Risk
- Residential Fires
- Nonresidential Fires
- Outside & Vehicle Fires
- Firefighter Fatalities
- Fire Department Registry
- State Statistics
- Data Sets
- 
- Statistics Home

            - EMS
            - Wildfire - Training
- Cohesive Strategy
- Fire-Adapted Communities
- Outreach Materials
- Healthy Landscapes
- Data
- Research & Technology
- Wildfire & WUI Blog
- 
- Wildfire Home

            - A-Z Index
            - 

- Fire Academy... - Overview
- Courses
- Programs
- Admissions
- Campus Life
- About

- NFIRS... - Overview
- eNFIRS Applications
- Documentation
- Training
- Coding Help
- Reporting Guidelines
- Vendor Information
- Data Quality
- Access Data
- About NFIRS
- NERIS

- Fire Prevention... - Overview
- Home Fires
- Arson & Youth Firesetting
- Hotels & Vacation Rentals
- Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
- Vehicle Fires
- Workplace Fires
- Life Safety Hazards
- Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
- Fire Prevention Officials

- Statistics... - Overview
- Reports
- Death & Injury Risk
- Residential Fires
- Nonresidential Fires
- Outside & Vehicle Fires
- Firefighter Fatalities
- Fire Department List
- State Statistics
- Data Sets

- EMS
- Wildfire... - Overview
- Training
- Cohesive Strategy
- Fire-Adapted Communities
- Outreach Materials
- Data
- Research & Technology
- Wildfire & WUI Blog

- A-Z Index

            - Hotels
            - Library
            - Publications
            - Blog
            - Image Gallery
            - Podcasts
            - About
            - Contact

- Home
- Prevention
- Home Fires
- Prevent Fires

# Holiday Fire Safety

      - Share on:
      - 
      - 
      - 

##### In this section

                - Home Fires                   - Learn About Fire
                  - Prepare for Fire
                  - Prevent Fires                     - Appliances & Electrical
                    - Basements & Garages
                    - Batteries
                    - Candles
                    - Cooking
                    - Heating
                    - Holiday
                    - Home Hazardous Materials
                    - Severe Weather
                  - At-Risk Audiences
                  - After a Fire
                - Arson & Youth Firesetting
                - Hotels & Vacation Rentals
                - Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
                - Vehicle Fires
                - Workplace Fires
                - Life Safety Hazards
                - Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
                - Fire Prevention Officials
                - CRR Blog

Decorating homes and businesses is a long-standing tradition around the holiday season. Unfortunately, these same decorations may increase your community's chances of a fire.

Did you know:

Almost one-third of home Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems.

Source: NFPA PDF

##  Messages to share

Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that burns. Make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be knocked down easily.

Consider using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look, smell and feel like real candles.

Inspect holiday lights each year before you put them up. Throw away light strands with frayed or pinched wires.

Read manufacturer’s instructions for the number of light strands to connect.

Water your Christmas tree every day. A dry Christmas tree can burn very hot and very fast.

Make sure your tree is at least 3 feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles or heat vents. Also, make sure your tree does not block exits.

Get rid of your tree after Christmas or when it is dry.

## Social media graphics and stock photos 

----

## Pictographs 

Pictographs can help overcome literacy barriers by communicating messages with pictures. Our pictographs will help you to communicate holiday fire safety messages to high-risk populations.

----

## Handouts

              -  English PDF
              -  Spanish PDF

Customize with your logo
              -  English PDF
              -  Spanish PDF

Customize with your logo
              -  6 per page PDF
              -  Press PDF

----

## Video

 https://youtu.be/ixPiiw81nOY

Encourage your community to be fire-safe during the holidays by sharing the tips in this short video.

 https://youtu.be/26A-49Wb2F4

Fire researchers demonstrate what happens when fire touches a dry tree and a properly maintained, well-watered tree.

### More home fire safety resources

          - U.S. Fire Administration publications catalog
          - Candle fire safety
          - Cooking fire safety
          - Electrical fire safety

Page last reviewed: Dec. 8, 2023

Be prepared.Be informed.Be safe.

            - 
            - 
            - 
            - 
            - 

Contact USFA

Information for
                - College/university educators
                - On-campus students
                - Off-campus students
                - Online students
                - NFA instructors
                - Public information officers

                - Public fire educators
                - Researchers
                - State training officials
                - Volunteer fire service
                - Wildland firefighters

About USFA
            - Leadership
            - Events
            - Position statements
            - Strategic plan
            - Job announcements
            - Send us your photos
            - Doing business with us
            - Subscribe to email lists

----

16825 S. Seton Ave.Emmitsburg, MD21727USA

800-238-3358

 Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®

USFA.FEMA.govAn official website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

          - Accessibility
          - Accountability
          - Careers
          - Civil Rights
          - Contact FEMA

          - FOIA
          - Glossary
          - No FEAR Act
          - Plug-Ins
          - Privacy

          - Report Disaster Fraud
          - Website Information
          - DHS.gov
          - USA.gov
          - Inspector General

Current Advisories