In recent years, candles have become more popular than ever, and December is the peak season for candle fires. The most important thing to remember about candles is that when you’re burning them, you have an open flame in your office or home. Candle fires reached a 19-year high of 12,540 in 1998, resulting in 157 deaths, 1,106 civilian injuries, and $176.1 million in property damage. The National Candle Association (NCA) states that US consumers spent $2.3 billion on candles in 1999, and that candles are used in seven out of ten US households.

Candle fires account for 2.4% of all fires and result in 6% of total injuries and 3% of all fatalities from fires, according to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). These figures have been steadily increasing due to the significant increase in usage of candles. The most startling statistic from the National Fire Incident Reporting System is the fact that nearly 85% of the candle fire incidents were started because of CONSUMER MISUSE of the product. Listed below are some of the categories of IGNITION FACTORS cited by the NFIRS.

• Combustible too close to heat 17.7%
• Unattended 16.0%
• Misuse, not specified 13.1%
• Inadequate control of open fire 9.2%
• Child playing 8.5%
• Abandoned, discarded material 7.1%
• Falling asleep 4.3%

• Never leave a burning candle unattended
• Never place a burning candle near something that can catch fire (combustibles)
• Keep burning candles out of the reach of children or pets, and never leave a child unattended in a room with a burning candle
• Keep candles away from drafts and vents
• Trim wicks to ¼" prior to each use
• Normally don’t burn candles more than four hours at a time
• Extinguish taper or pillar candles when they get within 2" of their holders
• Use containers that have been made for candle usage
• Keep matches, wick trimmings and foreign objects out of the candle wax
• Keep candles away from natural and artificial Christmas trees, and all holiday decorations
• Extinguish all candles when going to sleep
• Avoid candles with combustible items embedded in them
• Gel candles burn hotter than wax, and too much heat can shatter a container and make it more likely to ignite nearby combustibles. Please use extra caution when burning gel candles

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