Bring fire safety home for the holidays

Chestnuts may be roasting on an open fire, but make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy! To help ensure you have a safe and happy holiday, Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service is sharing some important fire safety reminders.

When you’re cooking up a feast for family and friends, follow these tips to ensure it goes off without a hitch:

• Stay in the kitchen when cooking. Turn off the stove if you must step away and remove all items from the stovetop when cooking is done.
• Avoid distractions and focus on the task in front of you.
• Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing while cooking as it can catch on fire. 
• Keep flammable items – oven mitts, cooking utensils, dish cloths, paper towels and potholders – a safe distance from the stove.
• Keep young kids and pets away from the stove and turn pot handles away from the stove's edge to avoid them being accidentally knocked off.
• Ensure a proper-fitting pot lid is nearby to smother flames in the event of a fire.
• Keep a working fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
• Have a working smoke alarm and a home escape plan just in case an incident occurs.

Don’t let your packaging go up in smoke

Never burn gift wrappings, boxes, cartons or other types of packaging in the fireplace. They burn rapidly and generate a lot of heat. Even though stockings hung from the mantel look festive, do not leave them there when the fireplace is in use. 

Christmas tree care

If you have a real Christmas tree at home, keep the base of the trunk in water at all times – a dry tree is a fire hazard. Keep real and artificial trees away from any ignition source such as a fireplace, heaters or candles. Check the cords of your decorative lights closely – discard any sets that are frayed or damaged as they can pose a safety issue. 

Swap real candles for flameless ones

Lastly, if lighting candles, always use non-flammable candle holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked over, away from Christmas trees and other festive decorations in the surrounding area – paper decorations, tablecloths and napkins can be a fire hazard. Never leave candles unattended and be sure to keep them out of reach of children and pets. Better yet, use battery-powered flameless candles instead. 

For more information and holiday fire safety tips, visit vaughan.ca/fire.