Holiday Fire Safety for Utah Homes: Thanksgiving Through New Year’s

Reviewed by Tyler Bennett, Restoration Project Manager, IICRC WRT/ASD #291438, October 2026.

Short answer: Home cooking fires and holiday decoration fires spike dramatically from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. US Fire Administration data shows Thanksgiving as the single highest-risk day of the year for cooking fires, roughly 4x the average day. A few simple prevention habits — never leave the stove unattended, keep flammables away from heat, test smoke alarms monthly — prevent most of the fires we see this time of year in Utah homes.

Thanksgiving: the single highest-risk day

Thanksgiving Day consistently sees roughly 4x the average day’s cooking fires in US Fire Administration data. The pattern is predictable: more people cooking at once than any other day, often in unfamiliar kitchens, often with distractions, often with a turkey that has been in the oven for hours. The specific risks:

• Unattended cooking. The single biggest cause. Leaving the stove on while guests arrive is how most Thanksgiving fires start.
• Grease fires. Turkey frying is a leading cause of large grease fires. Never add a frozen or partially-thawed turkey to hot oil.
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• Flammables near the stove. Dish towels, oven mitts, paper bags from grocery pickup, decorative items.
• Oven fires. Fat drippings from the turkey can ignite in the bottom of the oven.

Christmas tree fires

Live Christmas tree fires are rare but severe when they happen. A dry tree can go from first ignition to full involvement in under 60 seconds — faster than almost any other home fire scenario. Prevention:

• Keep the tree watered. A tree stand holds about 1 quart per inch of trunk diameter. A fresh tree can drink multiple quarts per day. Dry needles are the risk factor.
• Position away from heat sources. Fireplaces, heat vents, candles, space heaters. Minimum 3 feet of clearance.
• Use LED lights. Cooler than incandescent string lights and significantly less fire risk.
• Replace old light strings. Cracked insulation, frayed wires, bent plugs are all failure points.
• Unplug lights when leaving the house or going to bed.
• Discard after the holidays. A tree that stays up past New Year is noticeably drier than one taken down early January.

Candles

Candle fires peak in December. Advent candles, dinner party candles, holiday-themed decorative candles are the usual culprits. Prevention:

• Never leave a lit candle unattended, even briefly
• Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything flammable: curtains, decorations, upholstered furniture
• Use sturdy, non-combustible candle holders
• Trim wicks to 1/4 inch to reduce flame height
• Extinguish all candles before leaving the room or going to bed
• Consider battery-powered flameless candles for mantels, windows, and children’s rooms

Fireplaces and wood stoves

• Have the chimney inspected and cleaned annually. Creosote buildup is a leading cause of chimney fires. A chimney sweep inspection costs $150-$350 and takes a couple of hours.
• Use a sturdy fireplace screen to prevent sparks from reaching rugs or furniture.
• Burn only seasoned hardwood. Green wood produces far more creosote.
• Never leave a fire unattended and make sure embers are fully out before going to bed.
• Clean up ashes into a metal container with a lid and store outside, away from the house.

Space heaters and holiday travel

• If you use space heaters during Utah winters, keep a 3-foot clear zone around each one
• Use models with automatic tip-over shutoff
• Plug directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip
• If you are traveling for the holidays, do not leave space heaters running
• Before traveling: unplug Christmas lights, extinguish any candles, confirm the oven is off, consider shutting off the main water valve if you will be gone over 3 days (burst pipe prevention)

Smoke and CO alarms

• Test smoke alarms monthly year-round — and definitely before the holidays
• Replace batteries once a year (daylight saving time is a good reminder)
• Replace alarms themselves every 10 years from manufacture date
• Install CO alarms if you have gas appliances or an attached garage — CO risk rises in winter from closed homes and running furnaces

If a fire happens

1. Get everyone out. Don’t go back for belongings.
2. Call 911 from outside the house.
3. For a grease fire: do NOT use water. Smother the pan with a metal lid, cut the heat if safe, or use a Class B/K fire extinguisher.
4. After the fire department clears the scene, call your insurance to open the claim.
5. Call 4Sure for emergency board-up. 24/7, under 60 minutes anywhere in Utah County.
6. Do not re-enter until a restoration professional has cleared the structure and air quality.

Related reading

• First 24 hours after a fire in your Utah home
• Fire damage restoration service
• Fire damage insurance in Utah: what’s covered
• Winter home protection hub (burst pipes too)