Fire Department says "Don't light your candles"

[Candle Kitty]

I've been a long time candle freak. Ever since I was around 14, I've always burned candles. My sisters give me a hard time because when I get in a major candle mood, it looks like I have soft lighting in the house, but in actuality, I have candles in every room going. I have the wall sconces with tea lights, pillars in glass hurricanes, votives in their holders. At one point in time, I've counted at least 30+ candles going, usually designated the room that I'm in the most as my test room for a candle I've made.

The thing is this, yeah, that's a lot of candles to burn, but they're no where near curtains, my wall sconces are no where near the ceiling and my pillars and votives are placed correctly, on tables or desks, (some of my larger three wick candles are on the floor, but again, no where near a curtain and always in their correct holders) and I am constantly moving around the house monitoring them. Aside from the occasional cat that gets too close and gets whiskers singed, nothing has happened. And if I feel I have too many going to monitor, I always blow out a few (one night I set my smoke alarm off, glad to know it worked).

I haven't begun selling my candles yet, considering that I'm still in a major test mode and I just moved into the house. I will eventually, and one of the things that I constantly work on, is making sure to educate. I'm working and revamping a sheet that will go into explicit detail of how to care for the candle to get the best burn, where to burn, what kind of container to put the votives in, everything.

I see the point in going on this massive 'don't light candles' campaign, but in the same sense, this is when we, as candlemakers need to step up and say 'whoa, wait a second, okay, COMMON SENSE YOU MORONS, COMMON SENSE!' This happened a few years ago when there was a major campaign to get rid of gel candles because so many of them were bursting into flames, supposedly during 'normal use'. A friend had the gall to tell me I was stupid for making/burning candles because I was gearing up to start selling candles and I stepped up quick and defended myself and candles. In every case of a candle starting a fire, it's negligence and not using the gray matter, plain and simple. By the time I got done with her, the girl saw my point of view, realized that even SHE was being stupid when it came to candle burning and has since adjusted how she burns them.

I say tit for tat. If someone says don't burn candles because they're a safety risk, I say step up and say something about it. It's the only way we're going to be able to educate anybody on the proper use and I don't know, maybe save someone else from watching their house go up in flames because they were being stupid. It won't stop every person from making a mistake, but if we get one person walking away from us going 'holy cow, I've been burning them wrong', that's one less person that will be on the news.

[Donita]

I told my DH yeaterday that I want to print a sign to put in our co-op store on my display reminding people to be responsible when burning candles. One time during a long power outage, just for the fun of it because I get bored when the power goes out, I lit as many candles as I could. I used mostly scrap votives that I had in the basement. I put them all into baby food jars so ther were safe and the glass actually refracts the light and makes more. The power company finally came and drove the big cherry picker into our driveway because we have the transformer in our yard..........They were so puzzled as to why we were the only one in the area who still had power.....hehehe.....my house was so light up with a warm glow that it looked as if we had power. I too have been making candles since I was a little girl....my four younger sisters didn't care. My mother and father taught me candle safety at an early age......they made sure that I knew how to burn a candle when I was 9. Donita

[RobinInOR]

We do the same thing - when the power goes out, all the votives & jars get lit.

That's why I always keep unscented votives and pillars around - it really gets to be quite a stench when you have a lot going all different.

[Alan]

That's a good idea Robin. When the power was out at home yesterday evening, I was overwhelmed with all the different scents... way too much. And it was too cold to open the windows. I was wishing we had more unscented candles around... next time

[sudsnwicks]

it really gets to be quite a stench when you have a lot going all different.

LOL, it already reeks in my house when my unlit candles are sitting around. For some reason, spiced cranberry and mary jane do not go well together, LOL.

[firstlady]

I will have to admit since i came on this place to learn about candle making... i have also learned about how to burn them safer and correctly. so if this theme about being safe with candles help some people to be more aware and burn candles more safety, then its a good thing. after having a glass container break on me and a tealight burner get too hot, caught it just about the time i;m sure it was going to catch a fire, i now know to trim tea light if i do burn them, and check the tealight tart burner to besure it is safe. but i don't get the part of them saying not to use during a power outage, i have always used them at that time, even kept the big fat white housewhole ones up in winter time just for when the electricty went off. but i always put them in one room on a plate or bowl and used a flashlight to go to the other rooms, now there no way anyone could just use a flashligh for days at a time, once during a heavy wet/ sleet snow storm our power was off for over a week. i think burning a candle is just like anything else... it has to be done with safety in mind. and i know lot of people don't or won't no matter what anybody says.

[Meredith_D]

The worst burn due to carelessness that I've seen was when a mom I know left a hot cup of black coffee on the end of the table. Her toddler pulled it over on her face and shoulder. Was still having plastic surgery at the age of 16 from the damage done.

The candle issue does scare me though. I get so annoyed when I see people on TV using them in the bedroom particularly by the bed. It looks so romantic but I can just imagine what could happen..... and add a few drinks..... disaster!

Exactly!! I've known kids who have been burned (pretty seriously) with hot coffee and even a curling iron! Bottom line: people are careless!!!!! It's not usually the candle at fault (I know sometimes it is). It is the people that use them that are dangerous!

[Candlelady4ever]

Todays Fort Worth Star -Telegram in the E section, Dear Abbys whole column(except the last little one about a cheating ex) is about candle safety.:smiley2: