A pot holder too close to a lit burner or a space heater left on overnight could be all it takes to start a home fire. In fact, cooking and heating are among the leading causes of home fires in the United States, according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The NFPA has compiled many tips, reports, and checklists for the areas that pose the greatest threat of fire to your home. They include;

Cooking Safety: Cooking fires are the #1 cause of fires in the US.

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period time, turn off the stove.
• Keep anything that can catch fire – potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags – away from your stovetop.
• Wear short, close fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire.
• Always keep an oven mitt and lid handy. If a small fire starts in a pan on the stove, put on the oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Don’t remove the lid until it is completely cool.

The NFPA provides additional tips, stats, and reports here.

Heating Safety: Heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires during the months of December, January and February and trails only cooking equipment in home fires annually.

• Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms to avoid risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least 3 feet away form heating equipment.
• Turn portable space heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
• An oven should not be used to heat a home.

View additional tips, stats, and reports on the NFPA website here.

• Keep lamps, light fixtures, and light bulbs away from anything that can burn, such as lamp shades, bedding, curtains, and clothing.
• Replace cracked and damaged electrical cords.
• Use extension cords for temporary wiring only. Consider having additional circuits or receptacles added by a qualified electrician.
• Homes with young children should have tamper-resistant electrical receptacles.
• Call a qualified electrician or landlord if you have recurring problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers, discolored or warm wall outlets, flickering lights or a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance.

Smoking Safety: Smoking materials (cigarettes, cigars, pipes) are the leading cause of fire deaths in the US.

• If you smoke, choose fire-safe cigarettes if they are available in your area.
• If you smoke, smoke outside.
• Wherever you smoke, use deep, sturdy ashtrays.
• Never smoke in a home where oxygen is used.
• Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet, out of the reach of children.

View additional tips, stats, and reports on the NFPA website here.

Candle Safety: Over 15,000 candle-related home fires were reported in 2005 in the US. Mostly around the Christmas holidays and Halloween.

• Keep candles at least 12 inches form anything that can burn.
• Use sturdy, safe candle holders.
• Never leave a burning candle unattended. Blow out candles when you leave a room.
• Avoid using candles in bedrooms and sleeping areas.
• Use flashlights for emergency lighting.

View additional tips, stats, and reports on the NFPA website here.

Safety 101

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.
• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
• Make sure everyone can hear the sound of the smoke alarms.
• Have a home fire escape plan. Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible, and a meeting place outside. Practice your escape plan twice a year.
• When the smoke alarm sounds, get out and stay out.
• If you are building or remodeling your home, consider a residential fire sprinkler system.