Candle Fire Safety
South Wales Fire and Rescue are urging residents to take care when using candles. While candles can bring relaxation to a home, if not managed correctly, they can also cause its destruction and endanger the lives within.
Candles in the home are now getting a more and more popular way to add relaxation to our homes. It’s important to remember that candles are an open flame which if left unattended or near flammable surfaces can cause devastation.
Remove the risk by following our simple candle safety advice :
Don’t neglect your smoke alarms; they should be tested once a week. Remember, it only takes a second to press a button and test your alarm, but it could make all the difference if a fire started in your home. The Test It Tuesday campaign, which encourages habitual alarm checks, was created for this very reason. Follow #testittuesday on our social media and get into the habit now.
Extinguish candles before you leave a room and never go to sleep with a candle still burning.
Use a snuffer or a spoon to put them out. Blowing them can send sparks and hot wax flying.
No one expects an emergency; they just experience it. Don’t put them under shelves – make sure there’s at least one metre (three feet) between a candle and any surface above it.
This might also be relevant for container candles, such as tea lights or filled glasses, to avoid damage of the surface below