12/09/2025
As the holiday season approaches, I encourage you to take a moment to review the important statistics below regarding fire safety.
Christmas Trees:
-In the U.S., fire departments respond to an average of 160 home fires that start with Christmas trees each year.
-Electrical distribution or lighting equipment is involved in almost 50% of home Christmas tree fires.
-More than 25% of Christmas tree fires occur when some type of heat source, such as a candle or equipment, is too close to the tree.
-More than 50% of home Christmas tree fires start in the living room.
Holiday Decorations:
-U.S. fire departments respond to an estimated average of 770 home structure fires per year that begin with decorations, excluding Christmas trees.
-In more than 50% of these fires, the decoration is too close to a heat source, such as a candle or equipment.
-In December, 25% of home decoration fires start in the living room, 15% in the kitchen, and 10% in the dining room.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any fire prevention questions.
WSMR Fire & Emergency Services wishes you a wonderful holiday season.
Stay safe and enjoy the holidays!
