Are candles a fire hazard? IF they are properly used, no they are not a significant fire hazard. However, all too often, they are not used properly, or they are left unattended. This is when the fires occur.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in 1998, the latest year for statistics, there were 12,540 home candle fires. This is an important fact since almost 2/3 of the students in the United States live off-campus in homes and apartments,

Almost half (44%) of the fires started in the bedrooms. Candle fires cause an average of $144.5 million in damage each year and kill 119 people.

Candle fires have been rising dramatically over the past few years, probably because of the increasing demand for candles. Over the past four years, the candle industry has tripled in response to this demand.

What are some of the common causes of home candle fires? Half of the fires occurred because of carelessness:

• Over one-third started because the candles were left unattended, abandoned or inadequately controlled.
• Almost 20% of the fires occurred because combustible material was too close to the candle.
• The most common material ignited is mattresses or bedding, followed by cabinetry and then curtains or drapes.
  

What are some safety tips? The NFPA offers the following safety tips:

• Extinguish all candles when leaving the room or when going to sleep.
• Keep candles away from items that can catch fire such as clothing, books, paper, curtains, Christmas trees, flammable decorations or anything else that burns.
• Make sure candles are placed on a stable piece of furniture in sturdy holders that won't tip over. Candles should fit in the holders securely and holders should be made from material that can't burn.
• Use flashlights for temporary lighting in power outages, not candles. Keep plenty of fresh batteries on hand during thunderstorm seasons.
• Make sure the candleholder is big enough to collect dripping wax.
• Don't allow children or teens to have candles in their bedrooms.
• Don't place lit candles in windows, where blinds or curtains can close over them.
• Do not use candles in places where they could be knocked over by children or pets.
• Keep candles and all open flames away from flammable liquids.
• When purchasing or using candles, consider what would happen if the candle burned low. Could it burn the candleholder or decorative material nearby?
• Avoid candles with combustible items embedded in them.
• Extinguish taper and pillar candles when they get within two inches of the holder or decorative material. Votives and container candles should be extinguished before the last ½ inch of wax starts to melt.