As the holidays quickly approach, Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services (LFES) is putting out a reminder to celebrate safely this year. “We do see an (increase) in fires at this time of year, and there’s always things people can do to make sure they do their best to try and mitigate these risks,” said Troy Hicks, chief fire marshal with LFES. December is one of the busiest months for the department when it comes to preventable fires. To start, Hicks says decorations can be a real hazard. “You don’t want to put all of your decorations up, and then you’re blocking exits, blocking any heat sources,” he said. “You’re using extension cords all over your home—try to use power bars as best as you can.” Hicks says real trees need to be paid closer attention to. He says ensuring trees are watered and kept away from heat sources is key. He says real candles should not be used to decorate a tree, and Christmas lights don’t need to be plugged in at all times. “The lights on your trees, if you’ve had them a long time, make sure they aren’t frayed—make sure anything like that isn’t damaged,” said Hicks. “When it comes to candles, you want to make sure you have them three feet or one metre away from anything combustible.” When preparing dinner, LFES reminds residents to keep anything that can burn away from the stove, have a fire extinguisher nearby and always stay observant. “You want to make sure your oven is clean,” said Hicks. “Don’t leave the home when you’re cooking (and) don’t leave stuff on the stove when you’re entertaining people in the house and you forget about it.” While the holiday season tends to see an uptick in calls, Hicks says this year as a whole has seen an increase in fires. “Fire investigations this year, we are plus of 50 for this year for the city of Lethbridge, which in previous years, we’ve averaged about 30 investigations a year,” he said. In case of an emergency, Hicks recommends having an escape plan everyone in the home knows about, and to call 911.
