While candles can be a beautiful addition to a worship space, they pose a major risk. In 2023, several Church Mutual customers experienced catastrophic losses when they left candles burning unattended, leading to a fire.

There are several flameless alternatives to traditional wax candles that can be considered, including electric candles and LED lights, among others.  Still, there are houses of worship that find burning candles to be an important part of religious ceremony. The National Candle Association, a coalition of more than 100 candle manufacturers across the United States, emphasizes the importance of practicing candle safety any time you use this open flame. The following are some guidelines for when you are incorporating candles into your worship service:

Before lighting your candles

• Trim the wick – Long wicks can cause dripping, flaring or uneven burning, which becomes a fire risk. Use a wick trimmer, scissors or nail clippers to trim the wick to ¼ inch.‍
• Clear the wax pool – Sometimes, wick trimmings or other debris will accumulate in the area where the candle wax drips. This can cause the wax to overflow or drip unevenly, so you should always clean it out before using the candle.
• ‍Avoid makeshift candle holders – Always use containers that are specifically designed for candles. The containers should be heat-resistant and large enough to hold all the melted wax. If melted wax overflows and drips on other surfaces in your house of worship, it could start a fire.

While burning your candles

• Never leave them unattended – If you are using them during a worship service, snuff them out immediately after the service is finished. Designate a person whose job it is to check for the candles—otherwise, they might get forgotten in busyness of people coming in and out of the worship space.
• Place them at least three inches from each other – If they are too close, they could start melting one another, which could create a dangerous situation with the wax. They also might create their own drafts.
• Keep an eye on your flame – If it becomes too high or flickers repeatedly, let the candle cool, trim the wick and check for unwanted drafts before re-lighting.

When extinguishing your candles

• Use a candle snuffer – That’s the safest way to stop hot wax from splattering, thereby causing a potential fire hazard.
• Check the candle – There are times when you might think a candle is out, but there is still a glowing ember. That is when you are at risk for a fire.
• Avoid using water – Water can cause hot wax to splatter. It also could break the glass container in which the candle is housed or cause a crack, which could create a problem the next time you are trying to use the candle.

For more fire safety information, visit https://www.churchmutual.com/17521/Fire-Preparedness-and-Prevention.