GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — According to the National Fire Protection Association, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are among the leading days of the year for home fires.
That’s because hallmarks of the holiday season, like Christmas trees, decorations and family meals present potential fire hazards.
Bill Smith, a Grand Rapids Fire Department captain, says they do see an increase in fire-related calls on those days. Winter in general keeps firefighters very busy.
Firefighters say the primary reason for the increase is because of improper heating of homes. That means using alternative heating methods such as space heaters, or the oven as heat sources.
Secondly, unattended cooking; if you are cooking up a big holiday meal in your kitchen, ensure you always keep an eye on things.
And if you are planning a large family gathering, make sure your guests know the exit strategy in case of an emergency.
“We should be making sure that we have working smoke alarms and the appropriate amount of smoke alarms," Smith said. "But what to do when one sounds, especially when you're having guests that aren't familiar with their home, practice two ways out. And this may seem a little bit more work than you want to do. But take the time to show your guest how to get out of your home. That's critically important."
Firefighters want to remind people to keep combustible materials at least three feet away from heat sources. That includes your Christmas tree and decorations.
Unplug the Christmas tree lights before you go to bed.
And never burn your Christmas wrapping paper on a wood-burning stove or in the fireplace.
“Paper actually becomes buoyant and can itself become an ignition source and if it's coming out of your chimney, your fireplace, your woodstove, and into your living space," said Smith. "That can cause a real problem if it hits some combustible material like other packages, your tree, your furniture, carpet, so please don't burn your Christmas wrapping paper inside of your fireplace or your woodstove."
Another friendly reminder: When your live Christmas tree stops receiving water, it’s time to get rid of it.
In Grand Rapids, there is a residential safety program for homeowners. If you call 311, you can schedule an appointment and someone will come out and install smoke alarms if you don’t have any.
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