15 Fire-Related Deaths Last Holiday Season: Tips To Stay Safe

ILLINOIS — While holiday decorations are fun and festive, officials say they can also be deadly. Last holiday season, 15 people in Illinois died in house fires, according to a news release from the state fire marshal.

Holiday decorations increase the risk of fire, especially when they are placed too close to a heat source, officials said. The National Fire Protection Association says about two-fifths of home decoration fires started because the decorations were placed too close to a heat source, and about one-third involved candles.

Candle fires peak in December and January, with Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day being the most dangerous, according to state fire officials.

Just in the past week, the American Red Cross has responded to 17 home fires across Chicagoland, including a multi-unit apartment fire that displaced more than 15 families, according to a news release from the organization.

The state's yearly fire prevention campaign hopes to prevent any more fires by raising awareness and sharing some easy fire prevention tips.

"The [Office of the State Fire Marshal] will once again be hosting the Keep the Wreath Red Campaign at our offices in Springfield and Chicago. This campaign raises awareness about the importance of fire safety during the holiday season (December 1st through January 2nd)," said Illinois State Fire Marshal Matt Perez. "Unfortunately, last year 15 lives were lost in fire related incidents during the holiday season in Illinois. Following and exercising fire safety measure can reduce your risk of fire or injuries related to fires not only during the holiday season but every day."

The Keep the Wreath Red Campaign began in Naperville in 1954 to promote holiday fire safety. Fire stations around the state will hang wreaths this month lit with red bulbs. When someone dies in a fire anywhere in the state, a red light will be replaced with a white one.

The goal of the campaign is to prevent fire deaths and keep the wreaths entirely red.

"These white lights are not just bulbs; they represent a person! That person could be your Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Aunt, Uncle, Friend or neighbor," Perez said.

So remember to put out your candles before heading to bed, or you could be waking up to a house filled with smoke instead of presents.

In addition, make sure your oven is clean before cooking the Christmas goose (that's still a thing, right?), and clean stove tops of excess grease too. Cooking fires peak on Thanksgiving, but Christmas and Christmas Eve are close behind, officials said.

Officials said to have a fire escape plan, show holiday guests where all the exits are, and make sure family members know where to meet up if they are separated during a fire. And, of course, make sure your smoke detectors have fresh batteries.

Here are some additional tips to keep you safe this year:

• Test smoke detectors monthly and replace batteries as needed.
• Be careful with holiday decorations. Make sure decorations are either flame retardant or flame resistant.
• Keep lit candles at least 12 inches away from decorations or anything that can catch fire.
• Keep children and pets away from lit candles, and teach children not to play with matches and lighters.
• Extinguish all lit candles before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Check to make sure your lights are rated for indoor or outdoor use or both.
• Replace any light strands that have worn or broken cords. Make sure to read the recommendation for the number of light strings you can string together.
• Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.
• If you have a real Christmas tree, make sure to check water levels daily! It is not unusual for a tree to drink two gallons of water the first day it is in the stand.
• Keep real Christmas trees away from a heat source. It can dry out the tree quickly.
• After cooking a meal, make sure the oven is clean. Left-over grease can catch fire.
• Guests should be aware of your home's exits and your family's fire escape plan.