Salt Lake City – As the holiday season ramps up, fire officials are issuing a stark warning: the winter months bring a meaningful spike in residential fires, and seemingly harmless holiday traditions can quickly turn perilous. The Unified Fire Authority (UFA) is highlighting common holiday hazards and demonstrating just how rapidly a small mistake can escalate into a devastating blaze.
“The holidays are absolutely busy for us,” stated UFA’s Benjamin Porter. The potential for disaster is considerable; the Federal Emergency management Agency reports nearly 156,000 fires occur in the United States during the winter holiday season.These fires result in hundreds of millions of dollars in damage annually, and tragically, cause injuries and even fatalities.
Cooking is the leading cause of holiday fires. To illustrate the risk, UFA firefighters recently participated in a demonstration at their training center in Magna, intentionally recreating common cooking errors. A simple pan of bacon quickly revealed how easily grease can ignite. Within minutes,the sizzling bacon flared into a manageable,yet alarming,grease fire.
This demonstration underscores the importance of vigilance during holiday cooking. other common hazards include improperly managed turkey fryers and dry Christmas trees.Fire officials urge residents to take preventative measures to ensure a safe and joyful holiday season.
KSL-TV NBC 5 Salt Lake City
