The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released a guide for adhering to fire safety precautions on Thursday to herald the start of the holiday season. 

As Santa Clarita residents decorate and entertain this holiday season, the NFPA is urging homeowners to keep fire safety in mind. 

Deck the halls safely with these 6 holiday fire safety tips. #holidaysafety #christmasdecorating #fireprevention pic.twitter.com/VQa60QhoKf

— Sparky the Fire Dog (@Sparky_Fire_Dog) December 2, 2021

Approximately 2,000 house fires occur across the country on Thanksgiving Day, 69% of which are caused by cooking, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. 

To keep homes safe this holiday season, the guide recommends that homeowners: 

• Be careful with holiday decorations. 
• Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
• Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn.
• Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both. 
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. 
• Read manufacturer’s instructions for the number of light strands to connect. 
• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged. 
• Keep decorations away from windows and doors. 
• Test your smoke alarms and tell guests about your home fire escape plan during dinner parties. 
• Keep children and pets away from lit candles. 
• Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet. 
• Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop. 
• Ask smokers to smoke outside. Remind smokers to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them. 
• Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Wet cigarette butts with water before discarding.

See Related: Indoor, Outdoor Residential Wood Burning Prohibited Again Due To High Air Pollution Including In Santa Clarita 

These fire safety tips, courtesy of the NFPA, are a reminder for homeowners to be mindful during the holidays as an estimated 128,700 fires, 1,650 fire-related injuries and 415 deaths occur across the United States during the holiday season, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. 

“Fire is one of the biggest causes of insurance claims, I believe it takes up about 40% of all claims, and it’s a big concern this time of year,” said Joel Moss, owner Paul Davis Restoration of Santa Clarita, in a previous KHTS article. “We are doing extra cooking, we got the electrical lighting, we got the natural Christmas trees and we want to make sure we keep extra water on those, being cautious of flammable situations is a really important thing.”

To learn more about keeping your home fire hazard-safe, click here.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.