Holiday Safety

The following 12 Days of Holiday Fire Safety tips were developed to prevent the most common types of home fires that occur during the holiday season.

Water fresh trees daily.
Check all sets of lighting before decorating to ensure they are in good condition.
Make sure you have working smoke alarms.
Make sure you have working carbon monoxide alarms.
Make sure everyone knows how to get out safely if a fire occurs.
Use extension cords wisely.
Give space heaters space.
When you go out, blow out all candles.
Keep matches and lighters out of sight and reach of children.
Watch what you heat! Stay in the kitchen when cooking.
Encourage smokers to smoke outside.
Keep a close eye on anyone in your household who consumes alcohol while cooking or smoking.

To ensure your holidays don't turn into a disaster, here are some important holiday fire safety tips:

Teach children to stay away from candles, fireplaces, trees and space heaters.
Keep matches and lighters out of children's reach.
When buying presents for children, check for flame retardant labels and keep electric toys away from natural or artificial trees and paper decorations.

Buy the freshest, greenest Christmas tree you can find and store it outdoors in the shade, until you're ready to use it.
Ensure it does not dry out. Fill it with water daily and keep it away from sources of heat.
Do not place your tree in front of any exits and keep it out of the way of foot traffic.
Decorations must be flame-resistant or non-combustible.
Always turn off the lights on the tree before you go to bed or leave the house.

Make sure your artificial tree is labeled Fire Resistant.
Do not decorate metal or aluminum trees with lights or any other electrical product.

Make sure your space heater has a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) label.
Keep space heaters at least one meter away from paper, loose clothes, furniture, bedding, wallpaper and any other combustible material.
Never place your clothes on a heater to dry.
Turn off your heaters when you go to bed or leave the house.
Keep children away from heaters.

Inspect lights for damage before use. Do not use a damaged set of lights.
Unplug the light string before you replace any burnt out light bulbs.
Any type of decorative light you wish to use, including light strings, bulb reflectors or electrically lit decorations, must bear a CSA label and be marked for indoor use.

Only use light strings and cords that have a CSA label and are marked for outdoor use.
Turn off the electricity to the outlet before you start working with outdoor wiring.
Do not use nails or tacks to hold strings of lights in place or tape cords over, under or along metal eavestroughs.
Run all cords above ground and keep them out of snow and puddles.
Keep bulbs facing the ground to keep moisture from entering the bulb sockets.

Candles should be placed in stable candle holders, kept away from combustible decorations and displays, and away from children and pets.
Never leave burning candles unattended. Even if you leave the room for a moment, blow out the candles.

Inform your guests of your home fire escape plan and the location of all exits.
Only use flame-retardant or non-combustible decorations and costumes.
Set up a designated smoking area outside with large, deep ashtrays. Always wet cigarette butts with water before discarding.
Stay in the kitchen when cooking.
Do not drink and drive, and do not let your guests drink and drive. Use a designated driver or arrange for a cab or other transportation to make sure you and your guests get home safely.

If you have consumed alcohol don't use the stove.
Stay in the kitchen while cooking, check your food regularly, and use a timer.
Keep anything flammable, such as oven mitts, towels and curtains, away from your stove.
Keep children and pets away from hot foods or drinks.