The holidays are about warm meals, full houses, and late-night stories. But this time of year is also a peak season for house and kitchen fires. In fact, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day are the three worst home cooking fire days in the U.S.
When hosting a holiday party, it’s important to remember that holiday fire safety is just as crucial as the dinner menu. So keep this season feeling merry and bright with a few smart precautions.
1. Make the Kitchen a “Stay Zone”
Unsupervised cooking is the number-one cause of home fire incidents. Assign a primary cook (and a sous chef) to monitor both the oven and burners at all times. Keep all flammable materials away from the stove, and stay within arm’s reach of the range. If you need to leave the kitchen for any reason, turn off the burners until you come back.
2. Establish a Child and Pet Boundary
NFPA recommends keeping children and pets at least three feet from all cooking areas, so create a “no go” zone around stove tops, boiling pans, and hot beverage stations. Tape on the floor can work in a pinch. This simple boundary line will make it easier to divert those little hands away from heat sources and electrical cords.
3. Be Cautious Around Open Flames
Candles, greenery, and centerpieces look festive together—but if they catch fire, the flames can spread quickly. To minimize that risk, use tip-resistant candle holders on uncluttered surfaces, remove open flames at least a foot away from all flammable materials, and snuff them out before you leave the room. When hosting a holiday party, flameless battery-operated candles are the safest bet.
4. Plug In Decorations the Right Way
From holiday lights to small kitchen appliances, your home’s electrical circuits are working overtime this season. Before hosting a holiday party, inspect all cords for frays or cracks, never daisy-chain the power strips, and match your lights to the correct indoor–outdoor ratings. If a cord feels warm to the touch, redistribute its load right away.
5. Clear Exits When the House Is Full
Coats on stair rails, gift tables near doors, or seasonal decorations in high-traffic areas create bottlenecks in your house. This makes it hard for guests to move around—let alone escape if a fire ignites. Leave a clear path to at least two outdoor exits and make sure all your guests know where those exits are located. If you rearrange furniture for the party, conduct an “egress walk” before the first guests arrive.
6. Manage Heat Sources Carefully
Establish a barrier of at least three feet between space heaters and all decorations, furniture, and guest areas. Confirm that you have working smoke alarms on each level of the house and test them on the morning of your event. If hosting out-of-town visitors, remind them what the alarm sounds like and where to meet outside if necessary.
7. Respect Hot Oil or Outdoor Cooking
Deep frying is best left to professional chefs. But with that said, if you do attempt this, set up a frying station outside on a level surface, away from the home and any combustibles. Ensure a Class K fire extinguisher is also nearby, and never fry a wet or frozen turkey.
8. Enlist Guests for Your Safety Team
Guests often want to help, so if someone asks how they can pitch in, assign these simple holiday fire safety roles:
- A range watcher who never walks away from an active burner.
- A candle captain who checks on all open flames periodically throughout the event.
- A front door monitor who keeps the exits and walkways clear.
- A buffet table lead who keeps all food items and beverages away from power strips or cords.
When attendees have a clear job to perform, safety measures become part of the fun—and everyone can relax.
9. Keep Fire Extinguishers in Reach
Place a multi-functional ABC fire extinguisher in the kitchen (but not on the stove) and another near the main exit. Both of these devices must be easy to spot and accessible to reach. Review PASS (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep) with your helpers before the guests arrive. After any discharge, replace or recharge the device immediately.
10. Let Fire Sprinklers Do Their Job
If your home has a residential sprinkler system, ensure the control valve is open, never hang décorations from the sprinklers, and allow for six inches of clearance below the heads. Modern fire sprinklers activate directly in the line of fire, and can effectively contain a blaze before the fire department arrives. It’s crucial to schedule consistent fire sprinkler inspections, so you know these life-saving mechanisms will do their job when it counts. This is one of the most important holiday fire safety measures you can take all season.
Host Safely and Celebrate Fully this Season
Is your home in the ideal fire-safe position for hosting a holiday party? Contact our team of expert technicians here at A&A Fire Protection. We’ll handle all the right inspections and maintenance checks, so you can head into seasonal festivities with maximum peace of mind.
