Candle fire facts
About 2% of home fires start with a candle.
That works out to roughly 5,900 home fires a year in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). It is a small share of all home fires, but candles are a bigger share of the injuries.
of reported home fires start with a candle. Candles also cause 2% of home fire deaths.
home structure fires a year, on average, have a candle as the heat source.
civilian deaths a year, on average, plus 532 injuries and about $286 million in property damage.
of home fire injuries involve candles. Their injury rate is nearly three times that of home fires overall.
Annual averages. NFPA national estimates based on U.S. fire department reports.
How they start
Most candle fires come down to a few habits.
start in the bedroom.
start when something that can burn, like bedding, curtains or decor, is too close to the flame.
involve a candle that was left unattended, discarded or otherwise misused.
involve someone falling asleep, and those fires account for 34% of the deaths.
Over time
Candles cause a smaller share of home fires than they used to.
Share of reported U.S. home fires that candles started. Some rows are single years and some are multi-year averages, as NFPA published them, so the periods are not identical.
What this means for a warmer
No open flame is not the same as no risk.
A candle warmer has no open flame, which takes away the most common way candle fires start: something that can burn sitting too close to a lit wick. It is still an electrical heating appliance, so it should be used the way the maker says.
Follow the instructions
Use the warmer only as its instructions describe, with the candles or wax it is made for.
Give it space
Set it on a stable, heat-safe surface, away from curtains, paper and decor.
Keep an eye on it
Turn it off when you leave the room or go to bed, and keep it out of reach of kids and pets.
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Sources
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Home Candle Fires, including its latest national estimates and earlier editions. Figures are estimates based on U.S. fire department reports and are updated by NFPA from time to time.