Every homeowner has heard the warnings about dried-out Christmas trees and faulty string lights. Fewer have heard that candles, the ones lit for ambiance on a mantel or dinner table, are a bigger and more overlooked fire risk during the exact same weeks.
The Numbers
Candle fires are four times more likely to happen in December than in any other month of the year, according to fire safety data tracked by the National Fire Protection Association and the Electrical Safety Foundation International. December, January, and February together account for roughly 30 percent of all home fires and nearly 38 percent of home fire deaths nationwide, and open-flame fires on Christmas Day alone run more than double the yearly average.
The reason is simple: more candles are burning, for longer, in rooms full of paper, ribbon, dried greenery, and fabric that were not there in July. A candle that would be a non-issue on an empty end table in the spring is sitting a few inches from a stack of gift-wrapped boxes in December.
Where the Risk Actually Comes From
- Candles left burning in a room after everyone has gone to bed or left the house
- Candles placed near wrapping paper, table runners, or holiday greenery
- Candles knocked over by pets, kids, or a draft from an open door
- Decorative candles used near curtains or window treatments
None of these are exotic scenarios. They are the ordinary conditions of a decorated home in December, which is exactly why the statistic holds up year after year.
How to Keep the Candles Without the Risk
Keep any open flame at least three feet from anything that can burn, including trees, wrapping paper, and fabric decor. Never leave a lit candle in a room you are not in, even briefly, and never leave one burning overnight. Battery-operated flameless candles have gotten good enough that they are a reasonable swap for anything left unattended for long stretches, like a mantel display or a window candle meant to stay lit all evening.
Decorations Cause Fires Too, Separate from Candles or Trees
Fire departments respond to hundreds of home fires a year that start with decorations that are not the tree and not a candle: string lights with damaged wiring, overloaded outlets running multiple light strands, and lights left plugged in against dry decorative material. Check every strand of lights for frayed or cracked wiring before you hang it, and avoid running more than the manufacturer's rated number of strands end to end.
If a fire does start, the same rule applies as any other: get everyone out, call 911, and do not go back in for anything. JP Maguire Associates provides 24/7 fire damage restoration across Connecticut if the worst happens this holiday season.