• Winter/holiday safety
• Put a Freeze on Winter Fires
• Cooking
• Electrical
• Candles
• Smoking
• Christmas trees
• Carbon monoxide
• Christmas tree fires
• Halloween safety
• Fireworks
• Thanksgiving safety
• Project Holiday

Put a Freeze on Winter Fires

The United State Fire Administration (USFA) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) are working together to remind everyone that home fires are more prevalent in winter than in any other season. This is due in part to an increase in cooking and heating fires. Holiday decorations and winter storms that can interrupt electrical service and cause people to turn to alternative heating sources also contribute to the increased risk of fire in winter. Winter fires can be prevented! Learn more about maintaining a fire-safe home this winter season at USFA's website.

Winter fire safety tips from NFPA
A focus on heating safety

Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires during the winter months. In fact, half of all home heating fires occur in December, January, and February. According to NFPA's Home Fires Involving Heating Equipment (PDF, 723 KB) report, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 58,900 reported home structure fires in 2009, resulting in 480 civilian deaths, 1,520 civilian injuries, and $1.1 billion in direct property damage.

Keeping Your Community Safe and Warm A community outreach kit Our greatest defense against heating equipment fires is education. That’s why NFPA has developed an online toolkit filled with the resources you need to conduct a heating safety awareness campaign in your community. You’ll find press releases, letters to the editor, op/eds, print ads, easy-to-read flyers for residents in both English and Spanish, facts about heating fires, safety tips and more. Everything you need at your fingertips!

Be safe and warm this winter
Download these safety tips (PDF, 634 KB)  

• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable sapce heater.
• Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• Test smoke alarms monthly. 

For kids and families
Put a freeze on winter fires with a fun family activity. The days are shorter, the outside temperature is lower, and in some places it’s cold, icy, and snowy. No matter where you live, winter brings a change in season and a time to think about home heating safety. Download Sparky's home heating safety checklist (PDF, 249 KB) and hang it on your refrigerator to remind every member of your family to stay safe and warm this (and every!) winter. 

Ready-to-use material for newspapers
Check back weekly for articles and public service print ads you can place in newspapers throughout the winter season to provide important heating safety information to residents.

• Print ad - General rules for heating with a gas heater (PDF, 1.1 MB) 
• Print ad - General rules for heating with wood or pellets (PDF, 1.1 MB) 
• Print ad - Space heaters (PDF, 501 KB) 
• Smoke alarms and escape planning (doc, 16 KB)  
• Print ad - Have your chimney inspected every year (PDF, 546 KB)  
• Fuel burning heaters - kerosene and gas (doc, 17 KB)  
• General rules for space heating with electricity (PDF, 1.2 MB) 
• Carbon Monoxide (doc, 14 KB) 
• Wood and pellet-burning stoves (doc, 16 KB) 
• Oven, range use for heating - fuel assistance (doc, 15 KB) 
• Fireplace safety (doc, 15 KB) 
• Print ad - General rules for heating your home (PDF, 1.1 MB) 
• Portable space heaters (doc, 16 KB) 
• Three feet away (doc, 15 KB) 
• Time to get heating equipment cleaned and inspected (doc, 12 KB) 

See more NFPA resources on winter safety topics

In this Section:

Cooking Cooking fires are the #1 cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Smoking Smoking materials are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States.

Electrical Make your home safer from electrical distribution or lighting equipment fires. Christmas trees Christmas tree fires are not common, but when they occur, they are likely to be serious.

Candles December is the peak time of year for home candle fires. Carbon monoxide Heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel are potential sources of deadly carbon monoxide.