Keep the "Happy" in the Holidays

Fanning the flames of family drama are not the only flames you should be worried about dampening over the holidays.
Holidays are the celebrations of happy times but they can also be the source of house fires.
Here are some holiday fire hazards your family needs to be aware of.
A source of beauty and holiday fire hazards is the traditional Christmas tree.
According to the U.
S.
Fire Administration, this Christmas icon causes 200 fires annually that result in 6 deaths and 25 injuries.
Property damage from this holiday fire hazard exceeds $6 million a year.
You should keep your Christmas tree well watered and keep open flames and candles away from the tree.
A fire extinguisher should be close by and all members of the household should be instructed on its proper usage.
Don't leave decorative lights on overnight.
Holiday fire hazards can occur on Halloween too.
Halloween wall and house decorations backlit with shadowy, scary mood lighting from candle light can cause house fires.
Cheap decorative votive and candle holders can cause small fires that can grow into bigger ones.
If you must use them do not leave them unattended.
Halloween lights that are electric or battery operated are safer.
The fireworks and the backyard grills used on Independence Day are certainly one of the most common holiday fire hazards.
According to firesafety.
gov, almost 10,000 Americans are injured annually by fireworks and nearly 5,000 are injured by grill fires.
The best way to eliminate holiday fire hazards from fireworks is to not use them at all.
Instead visit the fireworks display provided by your community.
If you must do a home fireworks display keep a fire extinguisher and/or a hose near by in case of fire emergency.
Water down the area with sprinklers or a hose where you are igniting fireworks and do not light fireworks near dry grass.
Only turkeys let their homes catch fire during the holidays.
Don't let your Thanksgiving dinner turn into a holiday fire hazard.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving Day in both 2006 and 2007 was the peak day for home cooking fires in the United States.
A Thanksgiving holiday fire hazard that has been making news is the deep fried turkey.
Deep fried turkeys are a hazard to your health and your home.
Most of these fires are caused by the cook underestimating the amount of oil that will be displaced once the turkey is submerged.
Boiling oil overflows the pot spilling out onto the stove and instantly bursts into flames.
You can attempt to extinguish the flames with baking soda or a multi-use fire extinguisher.