Halloween safety: Avoid fire hazards with decorations, choose safe costumes

If you don’t keep fire safety in mind, Halloween and fall decorations can add an increased fire danger to your home, fire officials warned.

Each year from 2017 to 2019, an estimated average of 9,200 fires were reported to fire departments in the U.S. over a three-day period around Halloween, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

These fires caused an estimated annual average of 25 deaths, 100 injuries and $117 million in property loss, the USFA said.

The National Fire Protection Association reported that decorations were the first thing to ignite in about 800 reported home fires each year. More than two of every five of these fires occurred because the decorations were too close to a heat source, such as a candle or hot equipment, the NFPA said.

“Halloween is an exciting time for