On the second new moon after the winter solstice, the Chinese New Year is celebrated. New Year celebrations are full of colourful parades, fireworks, candles, lanterns, and dancing dragons.

But it’s also a time for being at home and enjoying good food with family and friends.

Whichever way you decide to celebrate the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one, ensure you stay safe.

Here are some important fire safety tips you can follow to stay safe this New Year.

Using Fireworks Safely

Fireworks are a popular way of seeing in a new year and are safe if you use them properly.

Ensure you only buy fireworks from a reputable shop. It’s never worth trying to cut corners for the sake of a few pounds. Only buy fireworks marked with the British Safety Standard 7114, so you can be certain they’re safe to use.

Long before you start setting them off, you should ensure you have read all the instructions and prepared the fireworks in daylight.

And once you’ve lit a firework, never go back to it. Instead, stand well back and enjoy the fireworks with everyone else.

Having a fire extinguisher, or at least a bucket of water, to hand is always a sensible idea, just in case something goes wrong.

Lighting Chinese Lanterns

Use extreme caution if you decide to use Chinese lanterns this year.

They can cause a number of problems as they’re a fire risk and can cause damage to the environment and wildlife. Be aware that lanterns can rise more than 1,000 feet, fly for up to 20 minutes and float for miles before landing.

Before you light a lantern, give a thought to your surroundings and take notice of which way the wind is blowing.

That way, you can plan where the launch site should be and what the likely flight path is. They need a big open space to enable them to get some height, without first getting stuck in any trees.

Like anything, ensure you read the instructions first. Then ensure to supervise everyone as they light their lantern.

Candle Safety

When using candles, never leave them unattended and ensure that they are fully extinguished when you go to bed. But also, make sure to place candles in a safe location.

This is so they cannot set fire to any nearby furniture, furnishings and clothing. But also, keep candles, matches and lighters out of reach of children so they don’t injure themselves or cause damage.

Candles also need placing in suitable holders. If not placed on a suitable surface, they can melt or combust.

Good Food Cooked Wisely

A majority of home fires start in the kitchen, so as you plan your delicious meal with friends and family, follow a few tips to stay safe.

Make sure to never leave cooking food unattended, and avoid distractions while you cook. In such cases, it is easy for it to get out of control and for a fire to start

Take extra care when cooking deep-fried food, ensure to dry food before placing it in the hot oil. But also, avoid filling the pan more than one-third full of oil.

Should a pan go up in smoke, then don’t throw water over it. Instead, turn off the heat and smother with a fire blanket.

Take Fire Safety Precautions

As well as following good fire safety practices, it’s still good to prepare should something go wrong. By having fire safety equipment close to hand, it can help you act quickly to prevent a small flare up becoming a large fire.

Fire blankets are good for smothering a fire and also wrapping around yourself. Having a 2kg powder fire extinguisher can also be on hand if a firework or lantern launch doesn’t go to plan.

When entertaining, it’s also advantageous to ensure smoke alarms are working. It alerts everyone when there is a fire break out so you can all get to safety and call for help as soon as possible.

So however you plan to celebrate the Chinese New Year, we want you to enjoy the festivities safely.