For many families, the holiday season means it's time to decorate their home. With all the extra decor in the house, officials said the chance for a house fire increases.
According to the TN State Fire Marshal's Office, candles caused $13,000,000 in damages in the last five years.
"Candles are becoming a more prevalent source for house fires," Jeff Bagwell, the PIO for Rural Metro Fire, said.
From 2013-2017 in Tennessee candles were reported to have caused 385 residential structure fires, eight deaths, and $13,000,000 in fire loss.
"Those stockings hung by the chimney can ignite very easily," Bagwell said.
If you are decorating for the holidays experts suggest putting candles somewhere where they can't be knocked over. Also, space them a couple inches away from your other decorations.
"Keep the combustible items away from the heat source. I remember one in Gibbs where a woman had left a candle burning in the bath tub. Luckily she closed the door to the bathroom and the bedroom and kept it all contained," Bagwell said.
Jeff Bagwell has been in the fire industry for 33 years and said house fires this time of year are all too common.
"The emotion of losing everything you own is bad enough. Secondly, this time of year it just adds more burden," Bagwell said.
He said all it takes is for people to be attentive to avoid losing a home and in the worst case, a life.
According to the TN State Fire Marshal, 41% of candle fires started in bedrooms and candles that started fires were too close to combustibles 46% of the time.