December is a leading month for U.S. home fires

QUINCY, Mass. — Be extra vigilant this holiday season, December is a leading month for U.S. home fires according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

“Many of the activities we engage in during the holiday season reflect leading causes of home fires, which explains why we consistently see the number of home fires climb at this time of year,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA.

While cooking significantly contributes to the increased risk of home fires during the holiday season, other contributing factors include Christmas trees in the home, the use of holiday decorations, particularly those involving candles or electrical lighting, and the use of heating equipment.

NFPA’s latest statistics (annual averages between 2020 and 2024) underscore the factors that collectively contribute to the December spike in home fires:

• Cooking is a leading cause of reported U.S. home fires, home fire injuries, and deaths. An estimated 48 percent of home structure fires, 35 percent of home fire injuries, and 16 percent of home fire deaths involved kitchen and cooking equipment.
• Heating equipment is another leading cause of U.S. home fires with nearly half (46 percent) of all home heating fires occurring from December through February.
• Holiday Decorations caused fire depts to respond to an estimated 835 home structure fires, resulting in three civilian fire deaths, 29 civilian fire injuries and $18 million in direct property damage.
• Christmas tree, fires don’t happen very often, but when they do, they tend to be more serious. U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 143 home fires that started with Christmas trees, resulting in an estimated seven civilian deaths, 13 civilian injuries, and $15 million in property damage.

“Understanding where potential threats exist and taking the steps needed to prevent them can go a long way toward ensuring a festive, fire-safe holiday season,” said Carli.

NFPA offers a wealth of information and resources to help minimize the likelihood of cooking, heating, candle, Christmas tree, and decoration fires. Learn more at nfpa.org/winterholidaysafety.