With the Halloween season in full swing, the National Fire Protection Association has some tips and guidelines for keeping your home fire safe even as you celebrate the holiday.

While the NFPA encourages everyone to enjoy Halloween, there are some simple precautions that can help protect you from serious fire safety hazards. According to NFPA statistics, an annual average of 770 house fires began with decorations between 2014 and 2019, resulting in one fire death and 26 injuries.

More than two of every five of these fires occurred because holiday decorations were too close to a heat source.

“As more people plan to celebrate the holiday this year, whether it be trick-or-treating or costume parties, we want everyone to know where potential fire risks exist so they can take the steps needed to minimize them,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA.

“With a little added awareness and planning, people can enjoy a fun-filled Halloween and stay fire-safe in the process,” Carli stated.

Tips and guidelines:

• Decorations: Many common decorations like cornstalks, crepe paper, and dried flowers are very flammable.

Keep these and similar decorations far away from any open flames or heat sources, like candles, heaters and light bulbs.

• Candles: Using candles as decoration can be risky if not done correctly.

Keep them in a well-attended area out of the path of potential trick-or-treaters.

Remind children of the dangers of open flames, and make sure they are always supervised when candles are lit.

Extinguish candles before leaving an area.

• Jack-o-lanterns: Glow sticks or electric candles are the safest choice when it comes to lighting up your jack-o-lantern, but if you choose to use a real candle, do so with extreme caution.

Light a candle inside a jack-o-lantern using long fireplace matches or a utility lighter and keep it away from other decorations.

• Costumes: Avoid fabric that billows or trails behind you, as these can easily ignite. If you are making your own costume, avoid loosely woven fabrics like linen and cotton, which can be very flammable.

• Visibility: Give children flashlights or glow sticks for lighting, these can even be incorporated into the costume.

If your child has a mask, ensure the eye holes are large enough for them to see clearly.

• Smoke alarms: This is a great time to make sure your smoke alarms are functional and up to date.

• Exits: Exits are not an appropriate place for decorations. When decorating, ensure that nothing is blocking any escape routes.

For more fire safety information, visit the website www.NFPA.org.