With all the excitement and activity of the holidays, it's easy to get careless and forget common home safety practices, especially when it comes to preventing fires.

It's important to make the time to take extra precautions during the holidays, according to Tim Daly, an operations captain for the Rapid City Fire Department.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, nearly 47,000 fires occur across the nation during the winter holiday season. Those fires claim more than 500 lives, cause more than 2,200 injuries and cost $554 million in property damage.

Many of those fires are caused by home heating sources, unattended cooking and candles.

"Remain attentive," Daly advises. "Do not let your guard down."

With the colder weather, many homes have space heaters running or use fireplaces for added warmth.

Dispose of fireplace ashes in a metal container. Do not store the ashes in the house or close to the house.

With all of the distractions of company or children running in and out, it's easy to forget about a portable heater used to warm a room or the mittens and scarf lying on that heater for a quick dry, Daly said.

The same goes for candles.

Candles should be placed out of the reach of children and pets. Never leave candles unattended. Use sturdy candle holders made of nonflammable materials. Always extinguish a candle when leaving a room or going to bed.

And, in the hectic preparation of holiday meals, never leave foods cooking on the stove unattended, Daly said.

"We have a few of those (fires) every year," he said. "Everybody is having a good time and maybe indulging a little too much in food and drink and the next thing you know, they have a fire."

A carelessly tossed cigarette can also ruin the holidays, Daly said. Smokers should take the time to property extinguish cigarettes and dispose of them. Cigarettes stamped out on a porch or tossed in a planter may have caused at least two fires in Rapid City, he said.

And, of course, don't forget the Christmas tree, Daly said.

"Water the tree," he said. "Check to make sure it stays halfway green."

This may not be the year to keep a drought-stressed Christmas tree into the New Year, he said.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, 13 percent of the home fires attributed to Christmas trees occur in January. Even a well-watered tree should be taken down after four weeks.

The NFPA also recommends being cautious with your electric decorations.

Holiday lights are seasonal items, according to John Drengenberg, consumer affairs manager for Underwriters Laboratories.

"If you leave decorations out any longer, they will be more prone to damage, which could cause an electrical shock or fire hazard," he said.

Always unplug your holiday lights when leaving home or going to bed.

When you take those festive lights down to store them for another season, give them a good inspection. Lights with frayed wires, bare spots, broken or cracked sockets and excessive kinking or wear should be thrown away.

And remember, after the holidays, you can replace those worn lights by taking advantage of the after-Christmas sales.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com