The P.E.I. Fire Marshal’s Office wants Islanders to stay safe over the holiday season, and offered some fire prevention tips to keep in mind.
For decorations, if you have a natural Christmas tree, keep it well watered throughout the season. A dry tree is extremely flammable.
Turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving the home or going to bed.
Make sure all decorative lights are well maintained. Replace any strings of lights that are worn, have broken cords or loose bulb connections.
Don't leave decorative lights on unattended. Turn lights off when leaving the house or going to sleep.
It's safer to use battery-powered candles, but if you're using real candles, keep them away from decorations and other things that can burn.
Always extinguish candles or incense when you leave the room or go to bed.
As for entertaining, working smoke alarms save lives. Test your alarms before your holiday get-togethers.
Smoking materials like cigarette butts can cause serious fires, so don't let guests discard smoking materials anywhere that could ignite.
Before you throw away cigarette butts and ashes, make sure they are put out completely by dousing with water or sand.
