Holiday Fire Dangers are real, yet avoidable!

Each year during the holiday season, both here on Bainbridge and all around Kitsap County, we end up with the inevitable house fires.

Three of the biggest culprits I have logged fire claims for:

***The family Christmas Tree
***Space Heaters ( both electric and oil)
***Candles

These are all fire starters that can be easily avoided with proper care.

A few tips:

Keep the tree away from wall heaters, fireplaces, cooktops, and do not EVER use candles on the tree.
Be sure to use proper lights and properly rated extension cords for the tree.
An obvious but commonly forgotten tip : be sure to water the tree, a healthy green tree is a less flamable tree!
After the holidays, do not be bold and think you can undecorate and throw the tree in your fireplace, this is a disaster waiting to happen.
We had two large house fires last year in January due to this action. A dry tree in January is a fire bomb waiitng to explode. Drag the tree OUTSIDE and dispose of properly!

Space heater safety is simple, treat them like a dog that bites, nothing to close to them and don’t leave them unattended.

Candles fall under the same rules as the space heater, but also do not place them in window ledges, may look pretty, yet when the blinds catch fire, then your in for a real show.

These are all simple common sense tips, I get it, but I have proof they are easily forgetten.

Stay safe everyone!