Reminder: Halloween fire safety

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. ( KREX ) — Tis the season for decorations! Many around the Western Slope have already decorated their homes for Halloween but homeowners should keep in mind fire safety as they decorate.

The National Fire Protection Association released figures finding that between 2018 and 2022, 835 home structure fires started with decorations. Those fires led to the death of three, 30 injuries and $14 million in direct property damage.

Nearly half of those fires started because holiday decorations were too close to a heat source.

Tips to keep yourself safe include keeping decorations away from open flames or heat sources and use candles in a well-attended area and out of the way. Avoiding costumes with long fabric and checking your smoke alarms to ensure they are in working order.

Another tip to keep in mind relates to the use of power strips.

Power strips are a helpful tool when wanting to connect multiple plugs into a single outlet. What one should not do is plug a power strip into another. This practice called daisy chaining could lead to a circuit overload and spark a possible fire.

For more information on fire safety, check the links below.

• 15 Ways to Avoid a Fire in Your Home (redcross.org)
• Electrical Safety at NFPA

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