Fire dept. issues holiday safety tips

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - The months of December, January, and February are the most common months for house fires, according to the Virginia Beach Fire Department.

The four biggest safety concerns that fire officials addressed are Christmas tree safety, electrical safety, candle usage, and cooking.

Christmas Tree Safety Information
- Keep heat sources (fireplaces, space heaters, wood stoves) away from Christmas trees.
- Never use real candles on a Christmas tree.
- Always turn off the Christmas tree lights before going to bed or leaving the house.
- Use only UL approved lights and do not plug in more than three strands of lights together and replace lights with broken or worn electrical cords.

Video footage of a Christmas tree fire from the National Institute of Safety can be viewed here .

Electrical Safety Information
- Inspect for damaged wiring and throw away defective and worn out light strands.

Candle Safety Information
- Extinguish candles when leaving home or the room.
- Keep candles, as well as matches and lighters, out of the reach of children, and don't leave children unattended in a room with lit candles.
- Keep candles away from items that can catch fire, including combustible greenery and flammable decorations.

Cooking Safety Information
- Four in ten reported home fires start in the kitchen -- more than any other place in the home.
- Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in these fires.
- Cover grease fires with lid and turn off heat. Never attempt to carry a burning pot to the outside as the hot grease could splatter on you causing you to drop the pan or spread the fire throughout the house.