Fire officials remind citizens how easy it is to accidentally start a fire in your home this holiday season.

While it is fun to decorate for the winter holidays, those decorations can increase your risk of a fire.

Here are some statistics and tips to keep your home safe.

• More than half of the home decoration fires in December are started by candles.
• The top 3 days for home candle fires are Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and New Year’s Eve.
• Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that burns.
• Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are dangerous. On average, 1 of every 45 reported home Christmas tree fires resulted in death.
• A heat source too close to a Christmas tree causes 1 in every 4 winter fires.
• Read the manufacturer’s instructions for the number of light strands to connect.
• Make sure your tree is at least 3 feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles, or heat vents. Also, make sure your tree does not block exits.