The holidays are a wonderful time to get everyone together. Unfortunately, they can also mean a greater risk of a fire in someone’s home. This holiday season, the Red Cross encourages everyone to follow simple steps to prevent home fires from holiday decorations. “December is the peak time for home fires involving candles and holiday decorations,” said Adam Runkle, Regional Disaster Officer for the Illinois Red Cross “Help protect your family by using battery-operated candles and practicing your two-minute escape plan with everyone in your household.” Follow these safety tips and visit redcross.org/fire for more information. You can also download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores.

• If you must use candles, keep them away from anything that could burn, and place them out of reach of pets and children. Never leave burning candles unattended.

• Ensure outside decorations are for outdoor use and fasten lights securely to your home or trees. If using hooks or nails outside, make sure they are insulated to avoid an electrocution or fire hazard.

• If buying an artificial tree, look for a fire-resistant label. When putting it up, keep it away from fireplaces, radiators and other sources of heat. Never use electric lights on metallic trees.

• If getting a live tree, make sure it’s fresh and keep it watered. To test if the tree is fresh, bend the needles up and down to make sure no needles fall off.

To learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved, visit redcross.org/homefires.