Fire Safety And Candles

There's a special beauty and tranquility to candles, but a lighted candle is also an open flame, and a potential fire hazard if not carefully monitored. In fact, accidental candle fires account for approximately 5 percent of all U.S. residential fires.

A study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests that 85 percent of candle fires could be avoided if consumers followed three basic safety rules:

Never leave a burning candle unattended.

Never burn a candle on or near anything that might catch fire.

Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.

The National Candle Association urges consumers to always follow the basic rules of fire safety when burning candles.

Before lighting

Trim the wick to ¼ inch each time before burning. Long or crooked wicks can cause uneven burning, dripping or flaring.

Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use. It should be heat resistant, sturdy, and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax.

Burn candles in a well-ventilated room.

Place the candleholder on a stable, heat-resistant surface.

Keep the wax pool clear of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.

Avoid drafts, vents or air currents. This will help prevent rapid or uneven burning, sooting, and excessive dripping.

Follow the manufacturer's recommendations on burn time and proper use.

While burning

Never touch or move a burning candle. Never move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquefied.

Don't burn a candle all the way down. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 2 inches of wax remains (1/2 inch if in a container).

Extinguish a candle if the flame becomes too high or flickers repeatedly. Let the candle cool, trim the wick, and check for unwanted drafts before re-lighting.

Always keep the candle within your sight. If you are going to leave the room, be sure to first blow out all candles.

When extinguishing

Use a candle snuffer to extinguish a candle. It's the safest way to prevent hot wax from splattering.

Never use water to extinguish a candle. Water can cause the hot wax to splatter and might break a glass container.

Make sure the candle is completely out and the wick ember is no longer glowing before leaving the room.

Don't touch or move the candle until it has completely cooled.

Click here for a complete list of candle safety rules.

Candle Fire Statistics

An estimated 18,000 residential fires are caused each year by the careless or inappropriate use of candles.

The National Candle Association urges consumers to always keep a burning candle within sight, and to extinguish candles when leaving a room.

Where Candle Fires Start *

Items First Ignited *

*Source: Home Candle Fires , Fire Analysis and Research Division, National Fire Protection Association, August 2005. Based on 1999-2002 annual averages

Candles are Labeled for Fire Safety

The National Candle Association is committed to the safety of candles and candle users.

NCA works aggressively to educate consumers on the importance of candle fire-safety, and has played a pivotal role in the development of national industry standards for the fire-safety labeling and for the fire-safety design of candles.

You can't see the fire-safety designs that reputable candle manufacturers follow when making their candles, but you can see the fire-safety label.

Look for the cautionary label and read it carefully before burning a candle. It's the first step to ensuring your safety.

What You Should Know 

Every candle should have a cautionary label or tag listing the three key rules for candle fire-safety.

Most cautionary labels also include additional manufacturer instructions for burning the candle properly.

All NCA members label their candles for fire safety, and test their candles to meet fire-safety manufacturing specifications.

Beware of purchasing a candle that doesn't carry a fire-safety label.

Reputable candle manufacturers adhere to industry standards. If a candle doesn't meet the labeling standard, it probably doesn't meet other important industry standards for fire-safety design.