Every year scores of home fires are started from unscreened fireplaces, from something as small as a spark popping on the carpet. Choose hardwoods, if possible. Soft woods like pine, and spruce burn up quickly, throwing dangerous sparks and coating the chimney with tars and resins that could easily catch fire at some future time. Don't burn a large amount of trash or Christmas wrapping paper in the fireplace. Roaring flames can ignite soot and resins clinging to the inside of the chimney and a serious fire could result.
Smoke is the number one killer in fires.
Smoke detectors double your chances of surviving a fire in your home. Check your batteries in your smoke detector regularly. Baby-sitters are called numerous times over the holidays to care for children and aging parents. Show them what to do in case of a fire and make sure they have emergency numbers. Sixty-five percent of home fires start in the kitchen or in a room where people are cooking.