BREWSTER – Local fire officials are urging the public to use caution this holiday amid a seasonal increase in fire risk.
Fire prevention officer with Brewster Fire Department Phillip Burt said that amid holiday cooking and electrical decorations, there’s a lot of opportunity for fires to spark.
He says residents should be attentive of all heat sources, but especially candles this holiday.
“December and January account for 20 to 25 percent of total candle fires that happen throughout the year,” said Burt.
“Some people might think it’s Christmas trees or something like that, but it’s actually candles—usually unattended candles.”
Burt added that alongside staying attentive when cooking and using space heaters, residents should also be responsible with decorations and extension cords, especially after a recent electrical fire in Marstons Mills claimed the lives of two pets.
“The cause was an overloaded power strip, I believe. So this time of year it becomes very common for people to string up lights inside the house—around the Christmas tree and that sort of thing. Just make sure you’re not overloading any one particular outlet,” said Burt.
He also urges residents to keep up on Christmas tree watering to avoid a potential fire hazard as the branches dry out.
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