Taking care with your Christmas tree and decorations
It’s good fun to decorate a Christmas tree and your home to create a personal winter wonderland, and following these tips can help you stay safe from fire:
- Keep decorations and greeting cards away from open flames, and keep candles away from Christmas trees and furnishings.
- Consider using battery-powered, flameless LED candles. But if you do decide to use candles, keep them away from Christmas trees, curtains, or anything else that could catch fire.
- Watering a Christmas tree regularly can prevent it from catching fire as easily as a dry tree.
- If you’re displaying a menorah in your window, make sure your curtains, blinds, shutters, and any other flammable materials are kept well clear.
Don’t forget about those twinkling lights
Fairy lights can make your home feel festive, but they could also pose a fire risk if not used properly. Here’s how to safely enjoy fairy lights:
- Make sure you only buy fairy lights from a trusted retailer.
- Switch off fairy lights by the plug socket when you leave a room.
Avoid overloading plug sockets
Don’t overload plug sockets by adding multiple extensions and adapters.
If Santa bought you an e-bike or e-scooter this Christmas, you can find tips on how to charge them safely on our website before you race off into the new year.
You can also read about the best practices for plug sockets on the Electrical Safety First website.
Fire safety in the kitchen
More than half of fires in homes start in the kitchen, but there’s lots of advice to prevent kitchen fires from the London Fire Brigade which includes:
- Double check the cooker and hob are turned off when you’ve finished cooking.
- Never put anything metal in the microwave.
You can find more kitchen safety tips on the London Fire Brigade website.
Keeping communal areas safe and clear
If you live in a building with a shared communal space such as a courtyard, hallway, staircase or other shared areas, please don’t decorate the outside of your home.
This isn’t because we don’t want you to celebrate Christmas or any other occasion. It’s because some items left in communal spaces could be a fire hazard or prevent people from being able to leave a building quickly during an emergency. That’s why we need to have this blanket rule in place, as it helps to keep residents and visitors safe.
Please also share any evacuation routes or emergency advice with everyone in your home, including those visiting.
But most importantly…
From all of us at A2Dominion, we wish everyone a safe festive season and a happy New Year. Take a look at our help pages about fire safety in the home for more information or by calling 0800 432 0077.