Scented candles, candles on the holiday table, the candle you dig out in a power cut. The US Fire Administration (USFA) cites National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) data of an average of 20 home candle fires a day in the US, and says candles are dangerous when they tip over or sit near anything that can burn. The rules are short: keep lit candles at least 12 inches (about 30 cm) from anything that can burn, no lit candles in bedrooms, bathrooms or sleeping areas, blow them out when leaving a room or home and before bed, use a sturdy holder, consider battery-operated flameless candles, and use flashlights, not candles, in a power outage. This sets out the USFA candle page and its pictographs.
1. Lit candles at least 12 inches (about 30 cm) from anything that can burn.
2. None in bedrooms, bathrooms or sleeping areas — out when you leave the room or go to bed.
3. Flashlights, not candles, in a power outage. For atmosphere, battery LED candles.
How often — USFA
| Type | What the source says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Home candle fires | An average of 20 a day, from NFPA data | × 365 = about 7,300 a year (our sum — the source gives only the daily average) |
| When they’re dangerous | When the flame tips over or is near something that can burn | — |
| Where they’re used | Common at celebrations, but an open flame | Birthday cake candles too (our note) |
The rules — USFA page and pictographs
| Type | What the source says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | Lit candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn | 12 in = 30.48 cm, about 30 cm (ours). Curtains, books, paper decorations, rugs |
| Holder | A sturdy, safe holder that won’t burn or tip over | Away from where it can be knocked over |
| Where not | Bedrooms, bathrooms and sleeping areas | Covers bath-side scented candles (our reading) |
| Blow out | When you leave a room or home, and when you go to bed | — |
| Alternative | Battery-operated flameless candles — can mimic the look, smell and feel of real ones | — |
| Power outage | Flashlights, not candles | The CDC power outage page also says flashlights and lanterns |
The pictographs (numbers 24, 25, 51 and 102; page reviewed 1 May 2026) split the page’s rules into single images: the 12 inches, no candles in bedrooms and bathrooms with blowing them out, sturdy holders and LED candles, and flashlights in a power outage.
If you must use candles in an outage — CDC
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) power outage page also says to use battery-powered flashlights and lanterns instead of candles, gas lanterns or torches to cut fire risk. If you must use candles, keep them away from flammable items and never leave them unattended. It adds: keep a fire extinguisher handy and make sure everyone knows how to use it. The rest of its outage advice is in power outage safety.
In Korean homes — our note
In Korea candles are lit most as scented candles, on the year-end table, and in power cuts. Held against the USFA rules, a scented candle by the bath and one at the bedside both fall under “where not”, and in a one-room flat where bed and living space are one, blowing out before sleep matters even more. Candles near Christmas decorations overlap with the CPSC rules in holiday decorating safety. Twelve inches (about 30 cm) is close to the long side of an A4 sheet (29.7 cm), further than it looks (our note). The monthly smoke alarm test is in smoke alarm testing and replacement.
Checklist
- ☐ Nothing that burns within 12 inches (about 30 cm)
- ☐ A holder that won’t burn or tip
- ☐ No candles in bedrooms, bathrooms or sleeping areas
- ☐ Out when leaving the room or going to bed
- ☐ Flashlight and spare batteries for outages
- ☐ LED candles for atmosphere
Questions that remain
Do jar candles need 12 inches too?
The USFA doesn’t split candles by type; 12 inches applies to any lit candle.
Is 20 a day a Korean figure?
No. It is the NFPA US home candle fire average cited by the USFA. The USFA page doesn’t say which years, and we didn’t check Korean figures.
Sources
- US Fire Administration (USFA) — Candle Fire Safety — source (reviewed 1 April 2023; checked 22 October 2026). 20 a day (NFPA), tipping and closeness, LED candles, sturdy holders, 12 inches, out when leaving or sleeping, no bedrooms, bathrooms or sleeping areas, flashlights in outages.
- USFA — Candle fire safety pictographs — source (reviewed 1 May 2026; checked 22 October 2026). Pictographs 24, 25, 51 and 102.
- CDC — What to Do to Protect Yourself During a Power Outage — source (reviewed 26 August 2026; checked 22 October 2026). “Light sources” — flashlights and lanterns, candles away and attended, extinguisher.
- Not read. The NFPA candle fire report itself (would not open); Korean candle fire figures.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean everyday gloss.
Where to check further
- The candle’s own label — burn time and holder advice.
- Your local fire service — home fire prevention in Korea.
Written on 22 October 2026. The content is from the source; the glosses are ours.
