Last year, the West Fargo Fire Department responded to three fires from November 2019 to January 2020, costing over $11,000 in damages. This year, the West Fargo Fire Department is sharing some helpful tips on their Facebook and Twitter pages to put a freeze on winter holiday fires. 

“The top three days of the year for home candle fires are Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day,” said Dan Fuller, Chief of the West Fargo Fire Department. “Many of these fires involve decorations and are avoidable with some simple safety tips,” 

The U.S. Fire Administration states that candles start more than one-third of home decoration fires. To avoid that, place candles at least 12 inches away from anything that is flammable, put out your candle when you leave home or go to bed. The safest method it is to use battery-operated flameless candles instead. 

The U.S. Fire Administration also says a heat source too close to a Christmas tree causes one in every four winter fires, but you can prevent that from happening in your home. Remember to water your tree daily if it is real, put your tree at least 3 feet away from any heat source, and turn off your lights when you leave home or go to bed.

“If we follow these simple but effective tips, we can put a freeze on winter holiday fires this year,” said Fuller.