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Christmas Day and Christmas Eve were the second and third leading days of the year for home cooking fires, respectively, in 2024.
The holiday season is often touted as the most wonderful time of year, but it also presents an increased risk of home fires.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), December is a leading month for U.S. home fires, with Christmas Day and Christmas Eve representing the second- and third-leading days of the year for home cooking fires, respectively, in 2024.
What Are Some of the Top Holiday Home Fire Dangers?
While cooking significantly contributes to the increased risk of home fires during the holiday season, other contributing factors include Christmas trees in the home, the use of holiday decorations, particularly those involving candles or electrical lighting, and the use of heating equipment.
NFPA’s latest statistics (annual averages between 2020 and 2024) underscore the factors that collectively contribute to the December spike in home fires:
Cooking
Cooking is a leading cause of reported U.S. home fires, home fire injuries, and deaths. An estimated 48 percent of home structure fires, 35 percent of home fire injuries, and 16 percent of home fire deaths involved kitchen and cooking equipment.
Unattended equipment is a factor in an estimated one-quarter (25 percent) of reported home cooking fires and nearly half (43 percent) of the associated deaths. Thanksgiving is the leading day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
Heating
Heating equipment is another leading cause of U.S. home fires with nearly half (46 percent) of all home heating fires occurring from December through February.
Holiday Decorations
U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 835 home structure fires that began with decorations (excluding Christmas trees), resulting in three civilian fire deaths, 29 civilian fire injuries and $18 million in direct property damage.
Christmas Trees
Christmas tree fires don’t happen very often, but when they do, they tend to be more serious. U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 143 home fires that started with Christmas trees, resulting in an estimated seven civilian deaths, 13 civilian injuries, and $15 million in property damage.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
Many people will be buying and gifting electronic devices that contain lithium-ion batteries. As the use of these devices has increased in recent years, so too has the number of related fires.
SOURCE NFPA – Full Article: binged.it/3MCYYuO
Sam DiGiovanna is a 40-year fire service veteran. He started with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, served as Fire Chief at the Monrovia Fire Department, and currently serves as Chief at the Verdugo Fire Academy in Glendale. He is Director at Large with the California State Firefighters Association, Associate Director for the California Training Officers Association and a consultant for www.Lexipol.com