Bentleyville Volunteer Fire Department

Bentleyville Volunteer Fire Department
900 Main Street
Bentleyville, PA 15314

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Fire Safety & Candles
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Fire Safety & Candles

There's a special beauty and tranquility to candles, but a lighted candle is also an open flame, and a potential fire hazard if not carefully monitored. In fact, accidental candle fires account for approximately four percent of all U.S. residential fires.

A study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests that 85 percent of candle fires could be avoided if consumers followed three basic safety rules:

Never leave a burning candle unattended.

Never burn a candle on or near anything that might catch fire.

Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.

The National Candle Association urges consumers to always follow the basic rules of fire safety when burning candles.

How to Burn a Candle Safely

Before lighting

Trim the wick to ¼ inch each time before burning. Long or crooked wicks can cause uneven burning, dripping or flaring.

Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use. It should be heat resistant, sturdy, and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax.

Burn candles in a well-ventilated room.

Place the candleholder on a stable, heat-resistant surface.

Keep the wax pool clear of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.

Avoid drafts, vents or air currents. This will help prevent rapid or uneven burning, sooting, and excessive dripping.

Follow the manufacturer's recommendations on burn time and proper use.

While burning

Never touch or move a burning candle. Never move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquefied.

Don't burn a candle all the way down. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 2 inches of wax remains (1/2 inch if in a container).

Extinguish a candle if the flame becomes too high or flickers repeatedly. Let the candle cool, trim the wick, and check for unwanted drafts before re-lighting.

Always keep the candle within your sight. If you are going to leave the room, be sure to first blow out all candles.

When extinguishing

Use a candle snuffer to extinguish a candle. It's the safest way to prevent hot wax from splattering.

Never use water to extinguish a candle. Water can cause the hot wax to splatter and might break a glass container.

Make sure the candle is completely out and the wick ember is no longer glowing before leaving the room.

Don't touch or move the candle until it has completely cooled.

Click here for a complete list of candle safety rules.

Candle Fire Statistics

More than 15,000 residential fires are caused each year by the careless or inappropriate use of candles.

The National Candle Association urges consumers to always keep a burning candle within sight, and to extinguish candles when leaving a room.

Where Candle Fires Start *

Bedroom	38%
Living/Family Room/Den	15%
Bathroom	14%
Kitchen	8%

Items First Ignited *

Mattresses or Bedding	11%
Curtains/Blinds/Draperies	10%
Cabinetry	9%

*Source: Home Candle Fires , Fire Analysis and Research Division, National Fire Protection Association, September 2007. Based on 2002-2005 annual averages

Candle Safety Rules

The National Candle Association urges consumers to follow these rules for candle safety.

Always keep a burning candle within sight. Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or

before going to sleep.

Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Place candles away from drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.

Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets. Don’t place lighted candles where they might be knocked over by children or pets.

Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time before burning. Long or crooked wicks cause uneven burning and dripping.

Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use.

The holder should be heat resistant, sturdy and large enough to contain drips or melted wax.

Be sure the candleholder is placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface.

This will also help prevent possible heat damage to underlying surfaces and prevent glass containers from cracking or breaking.

Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.

Always read and follow the manufacturer's use and safety instructions carefully.

Don”t burn a candle longer than the manufacturer recommends.

Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents, ceiling fans and air currents.

This will help prevent rapid, uneven burning, and avoid flame flare-ups and sooting.

Drafts can also blow lightweight curtains or papers into the flame where they could catch fire.

Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room.

Don't burn too many candles in a small room or in a "tight" home where air exchange is limited.

Don't burn a candle all the way down.

Extinguish the flame if it comes too close to the holder or container. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 2 inches of wax remains or ½ inch if in a container.

Never touch or move a burning candle when the wax is liquid.

Never use a knife or sharp object to remove wax drippings from a glass holder. It might scratch, weaken, or cause the glass to break upon subsequent use.

Place burning candles at least three inches apart.

This ensures they won't melt one another, or create drafts that can cause the candles to flare.

Use a snuffer to extinguish a candle. It's the safest way to prevent hot wax splatters.

Never extinguish candles with water.

The water can cause the hot wax to splatter and might cause a glass container to break.

Be very careful if using candles during a power outage. Flashlights and other battery-powered lights are safer sources of light during a power failure.

Make sure a candle is completely extinguished and the wick is no longer glowing before leaving the room.

Extinguish a candle if it flickers repeatedly, smokes, or the flame becomes too high. The candle isn't burning properly. Let it cool, trim the wick, check for drafts and then re-light.

Never use a candle as a night light.

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