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Christmas candles, lots of fairy lights, dry trees and lots of cooking can lead to disasters at Christmas. According to reports, a dry Christmas tree can become engulfed in flames in less than 10 seconds. A single spark from a broken string of lights or simply a bouncing flame from a fireplace could trigger a deadly chain of events.

To diminish the risks associated with the festive season, experts at Heatingforce.co.uk collaborated with Alex Ions to get some tips on how to stay safe this festive season.

Biggest risks and how to avoid them:

Electrical circuits can only handle a limited amount of electricity.

If you exceed the rated load of the circuit wiring, the circuit breaker could trip.

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This would shut off the power to the entire circuit.

When you have lots of Christmas lighting like fairy lights, this adds to the fire risk unless the circuit is used correctly.

Make sure you use extension cables where necessary to stop this happening.

Don’t be tempted to run cables underneath rugs or carpets, even if you’ve run out of sockets on one side of the room.

When people walk over cables, this compresses and breaks down the cable’s insulation which can increase the fire risk.

Candles around Christmas trees are not safe.

Ensure candles are placed on a stable surface away from Christmas trees, decor and any sofa furnishings.

Never leave candles unattended and put lighters away after using them.

Always let matches cool after lighting a candle too.

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Faux candles create the same effect as real candles but are a lot safer.

Homes with pets and children should definitely consider this as real candles can potentially be knocked over.

Heat will dry out a Christmas tree which means it can be more easily ignited by heat, flames or sparks.

Indoor smokers should make sure they don’t drop cigarette ashes near Christmas trees.

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Do not put your real tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks.

Alex Ions shared how to deck your walls without posing a fire risk.

Alex said: “Christmas should be a fun time of year that allows for the creation of a festive space in your home.

“However, it is important to ensure safety is also put at the forefront.

“To avoid problems, you shouldn’t hang decorations near candles, fireplaces, Christmas lights, or radiators.

“Your garland may look like it’s safe above your fireplace but it may accidentally fall down or an ember could catch onto it causing a fire risk.

“It is also sensible to minimise decorations in your kitchen.

“To decrease the danger of a fire starting, keep decorations well away from hobs.

"When in the kitchen preparing food, you should ensure that you are focussing on what you are doing as it is easy to become distracted by conversation, particularly when you have guests round for Christmas.

“This seems like a given but can be forgotten when you are in the grips of entertaining and eager to serve up food, but make sure you turn everything off. Perhaps most importantly, test your fire alarm.”

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