Martin Feinberg, Realtor, understands that the holidays can be a time of increased risk for fire due to the amount of candles, Christmas lights, and cooking that goes on in so many homes.  The Culver City Fire Department knows that too and has provided a few fire preventative tips on the City’s website to help reduce the chances of fire within the Culver City Real Estate area.  By following some simple rules of thumb, the chances of a home fire in December can be greatly reduced.

Candles

• Candles should be kept at least 12 inches away from anything flammable and should be extinguished when no one is in the room or occupants go to bed.
• Candle holders should be sturdy and stable, and placed on uncluttered surfaces.
• Never use lit candles on a Christmas tree.
• Never leave a child or pet in a room with a burning candle.
• Consider flameless candles to bring the fire risk down to zero.

Christmas Trees

• Live Christmas trees should be fresh with needles that do not come off easily when touched or break when gently bent. Trunks need to be trimmed two inches from the base when brought home, and trees should immediately be placed in a tree stand and watered daily. All artificial trees should be labeled, certified, or identified by the manufacturer as fire-retardant.
• Christmas trees (and furniture moved to create room for them) should not block exits.They also need to be at least three feet away from all heat sources.
• Never leave a lighted tree unattended or leave lights on for prolonged periods of time. Christmas tree lights should be turned off, and the heat turned down, when leaving the house or going to sleep.
• Christmas trees should be removed from the home as soon as possible after Christmas. Beginning December 26 through the end of January, Christmas trees can be dropped off at four locations: Veterans Memorial Park, Fox Hills Park, Culver West Park, or Syd Kronenthal Park.

Lights

• All decoration lights should be tested by an independent testing laboratory (e.g., Underwriters Laboratories (UL)). Never connect more than three standard-size sets of lights to one extension cord.
• Check each set of lights, whether new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, and/or loose connections. Discard all damaged sets. After inspection lights can be placed on a fireproof surface and run for 15 minutes to check for lights that show signs of overheating.
• Always turn off Christmas lights before leaving the home or going to bed.
• Outdoor electrical lights should be brought inside after the holidays to prevent fire hazards and increase longevity.

Cooking

• When simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it often. Using a timer as a reminder is also a good idea.
• There should be a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food and drinks are prepared or carried.
• If a cooking fire starts leave the house immediately, closing the door to the room if possible to help contain the fire. Call 911 or the local emergency number immediately.
• If someone decides to attempt to stop the fire make sure that everyone else in the home leaves, and make sure the person staying behind has access to an exit.
• Always keep a lid nearby when cooking to smother small grease fires if necessary. Slide the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. For oven fires, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.