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Candles, Oil Lamps, Incense & Burners

Candles, lamps, incense and burners add character to our homes and play important roles in many religious festivals.

Anything that smoulders or has a naked flame is a fire risk. Read on to find out how to use them safely.

• Naked flames & Modern Living
• Power Cuts
• Candles
• Tea-lights
• Oil Lamps
• Incense
• Essential Oil Burners
• Further Information

Naked Flames & Modern Living

Humans have used lamps and candles for lighting for thousands of years while the spiritual significance of living flames and incense continues to this day. However, many of us have got out of the habit of using them properly and safely.

Also, modern homes are full soft furnishings, plastics and other things that catch light and burn easily - stuff that just wasn't around when our great-grandparents relied on naked flames for lighting on a daily basis.

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Power Cuts

Whenever there are power cuts, fire and rescue services get called to house fires started by careless use of candles, oil lamps and tea-lights.

Smoke quickly makes fires in buildings dark to begin with. It goes without saying, house fires in darkened properties are even more dangerous and difficult to escape from:

• take extra care during power cuts
• keep torches and batteries where you can find them easily in an emergency
• consider getting wind-up torches - they're safe, cheap and never run out of power

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Candles

Candles are an increasingly popular ways of creating relaxing 'mood' lighting in a room and are a key part of many religious celebrations:

• never leave a lit candle unattended - even for a few seconds
• don't lean across a lit candle - you could set your hair or clothes on fire
• always place candles in a proper candlestick holder with a heavy base that's difficult to tip over
• make sure the candle fits the holder tightly and can't tip or fall.
• place candlestick holders in a flat, stable, heat-resistant surface (e.g. a dinner plate)
• keep them out of draughts
• never place on soft furnishings or plastic (e.g. on top of the television, on the side of acrylic bathtubs or toilet cisterns)
• keep well clear of clothes, curtains, cushions, papers and other flammable items
• don't put them on shelves - they can heat up the shelf above and cause a fire
• don't put them on top of heaters or in the middle of the mantelpiece - they could melt in the heat and the wax catch fire
• don't allow children to play with candles, lighters or matches.
• make sure children, pets (and adults!) can't accidentally tip them over.
• always snuff them out properly before leaving the room - use a metal snuffer or pinch the wick between wet fingers. 
• don't use them if you've been drinking or feel sleepy.

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Tea-lights

Tea-lights are cheap and great for dotting around a room to create soft lighting. However, tea-lights should be treated like any other candle.

Although they come in their own little metal pots, the metal gets very hot as the tea-light burns. They can melt through plastics, such as television sets, and fall inside.

At best, the telly will be ruined. At worst, they can start a serious blaze.

• never leave a lit tea-light unattended - even for a few seconds
• put them in a proper holder on a flat, stable, heat-resistant surface (e.g. a dinner plate)
• never place on soft furnishings or plastic (e.g. on top of the television, on the side of acrylic bathtubs or toilet cisterns)

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Oil Lamps

Like candles, oil lamps can be an attractive way to create soft lighting. Their advantage is that they don't drip wax. The disadvantage is that they contain a flammable liquid:

• never leave a lit oil lamp unattended
• never use a cracked or broken oil lamp
• keep the wick properly trimmed
• don't overfill them
• keep them away from heat sources
• keep spare oil in a proper container, away from heat sources and out of reach of children

Otherwise, treat oil lamps as you would a lit candle.

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Incense

Although there's no flame as such, the burning embers of incense sticks or cones get very hot and can start fires:

• never leave lit incense unattended
• always use a proper holder or burner that catches the ash

Otherwise, treat oil lamps as you would a lit candle.

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Essential Oil Burners

Essential oil burners are a great way to scent rooms with out the 'burning stick' smell you sometimes get with incense sticks.

Most use tea-lights as their heat source and should be treated the same as any other candle.

• never leave a lit essential oil burner unattended
• always use a proper burner that's made for the job
• don't use if it's cracked or broken
• don't let the reservoir burn dry - the burner could crack and the tea-light fall out

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Further Information

For further information and advice on home fire safety, contact your local community fire and rescue service.

You can also download the following information leaflet:

• Your guide to fire safety (PDF - 129Kb)

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