RFD urges holiday fire safety

December is the peak time of year for home candle fires. The following tips from the Russellville Fire Department can increase candle safety:

• Make sure to blow out all candles before leaving the room or going to bed, and keep them at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn.
• Use sturdy candle holders, and place them on sturdy, uncluttered surfaces.
• Light candles carefully, and don’t burn them all the way to the bottom.
• Never use a candle if oxygen is used in the home. Have flashlights and battery-powered lighting to use during a power outage.
• When using candles for religious purposes, remember that handheld candles should not be passed from one person to another at any time.
• When lighting candles, have the person with the unlit candle dip it into the flame of the lit candle.
• Don’t place lit candles near curtains or blinds.
• Have lit candles watched by an adult at all times.
• Place continuously burning candles on a nonflammable surface and enclose them in a glass container.