It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas with the snow and the trees decorated. But it is also the time of year when the fire danger in your home increases significantly.

There are a number of things that could cause problems for you this holiday season.

Jesse Buhs, District Fire Chief in Cloquet referred to recent events, “We happened to have had three structure fires in a very short amount of time just a matter of a few days. Each one had a different cause of origin.”

Kitchen fires are the most common way a house fire starts. Something forgotten on the stove may cause a grease fire that can leap from the pan to the cabinets above.

“The message we’d like to get out is just about home fire safety,” said Buhs. “Have smoke detectors in place so you have early detection and early notification and then calling 911 immediately, not trying to put the fire out yourself, but get the fire department activated and the response started.”

With the holidays upon us many people will have a real tree in their home with lights attached and extra candles burning. All of these are fire dangers. But you can minimize the risks by being careful, watering your tree, making sure there are no frayed wires and being sure to blow out all candles when leaving the room.

Buhs stresses that house fires grow rapidly and will give off thick black, choking smoke. “So, you may think you have several minutes to try to get through the home and evacuate pets or grab belongings. But truly it’s a matter of seconds that you have to get out of the home you need to call 911 and get the fire department activated so that we can respond and extinguish the fire,” said Buhs.

While these are simple, basic fire tips, but ones that if followed will make it more likely for you to have a safe holiday season.

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