Surprising Reasons December is Deadliest Month in Hudson Valley

While December is all about holiday decorating and spending time with family, it's also the month that can suddenly turn deadly in the Hudson Valley for several surprising reasons.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, December is the leading month for U.S. home fires. In fact, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve were the second and third highest days of the year for home cooking fires in 2024. But the danger doesn't stop in the kitchen.

Why December Is So Dangerous in the Hudson Valley

The NFPA says many of our favorite holiday traditions line up with the most common causes of home fires. Cooking is at the top of the list. Between 2020 and 2024, an estimated 48 percent of home structure fires involved kitchen equipment. Unattended cooking was a factor in one quarter of these fires and resulted in nearly half of reported deaths.

The holiday season also brings new hazards into Hudson Valley homes. Fresh-cut Christmas trees can dry out quickly, especially in houses that crank up the heat. Aging electrical lights, ornaments and candles add even more potential ignition sources. Although Christmas tree fires do not happen often, they are unusually destructive. Fire departments respond to an average of 143 tree-related home fires each year, which cause an estimated seven deaths, thirteen injuries and $15 million in property damage. Almost one in four tree fires start with lamps or bulbs.

Other holiday decorations can also quickly turn deadly. Fire departments across the country respond to more than 800 home fires a year that begin with holiday decorations, not including Christmas trees. Nearly half of those fires happen because decorations were placed too close to a heat source. Candle fires peak in December and January.

Cold Weather Increases Deadly Incidents

Heating equipment is another major winter danger. Nearly half of all home heating fires happen between December and February. Space heaters and wood stoves are the biggest contributors, causing almost half of all heating-related fires and seven out of ten heating-related deaths. Local fire officials say this is the time of year when a space heater tucked too close to a couch or blanket can become a serious threat within minutes.

The Newest Concern: Lithium-Ion Batteries

On top of everything else, this is also prime season for gadgets. Laptops, scooters, headphones and rechargeable toys all come with lithium-ion batteries, and these batteries can ignite if damaged, overheated or used with incompatible chargers. Experts say to only use batteries and chargers that come from reputable manufacturers, to unplug devices once they are fully charged and to stop using a battery immediately if it smells strange, changes color or becomes unusually hot.

Do not toss old batteries in the trash. Recycling centers and many town transfer stations accept them, and your local waste department can provide safe disposal instructions.

Staying Safe in the Hudson Valley This Season

Fire officials throughout Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties repeat the same message every December. Water your tree often, keep decorations and space heaters away from anything that can burn, never leave cooking unattended and check your smoke alarms.

The holiday season may be the most wonderful time of the year, but here in the Hudson Valley, it is also the one that requires a little extra caution at home. Staying alert could make all the difference when the temperatures drop, the lights go up and Santa makes his yearly visit to the region.