Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) issued a New Year fire safety appeal on 5 January 2026, saying that house fire tragedies in December 2025 showed why fire safety should remain a priority throughout the year. The service said winter is one of the highest risk times of year for accidental house fires, most commonly caused by cooking, electrical appliances and smoking materials.
NIFRS Group Commander David Shortt said the service wanted households to make small changes that last beyond January:
"the recent house fire tragedies in December remind us why fire safety should remain a priority and a habit throughout the year"
The service's winter safety advice covers alarms, electrics, candles, cooking and bedtime routines. It advises households to fit a working smoke alarm on each floor and test them, and not to overload plug sockets. Indicators of overload it lists include scorch marks or blackness around a socket or plug, sparks from a plug or appliance, and the smell of hot plastic near a plug or socket. It also advises keeping candles away from soft furnishings and never leaving them burning unattended, keeping candles, lighters and matches out of the reach of children, and not cooking when tired, after drinking alcohol or after taking medication that could cause drowsiness. Flammable items such as oven mitts, tea towels and cables should be kept away from the cooker top.
On bedtime routines, NIFRS advises switching off electrics including portable heaters and extra charging leads, extinguishing candles and cigarettes, and closing doors to protect the escape route. It advises making a fire escape plan and discussing it with the household and anyone staying with them, and keeping the escape route clear. It adds that the risk of accidents is greater after alcohol is consumed. If a fire does break out, the service says: "Get Out, Stay Out and Call 999."1
Shortt also asked people to look out for relatives and neighbours: "If you have elderly or vulnerable relatives and neighbours, take some time to check in on them and offer to make sure their smoke alarms are working or help them complete an online Home Fire Safety Check at" nifrs.org1. The service said simple habits, including checking smoke alarms, sticking to one plug per socket and only using electrical goods from reputable retailers, can help protect a home from fire1.
Why it matters for households
The appeal applies to households across Northern Ireland, where NIFRS is the fire and rescue service. It comes at the start of January, as Christmas decorations are taken down and homes are reset, and it points to the winter months as the period of highest risk for accidental house fires. The practical points for households are the alarm checks on every floor, the electrical overload warning signs, care with candles and cooking, and a bedtime routine that switches off heaters and charging leads and closes doors. NIFRS also identifies elderly and vulnerable relatives and neighbours as a group to check on, and offers an online Home Fire Safety Check through its website. The service's position on a fire in the home is not to tackle it, but to get out, stay out and call 999.
What happens next
No further dates or follow-up announcements have been reported. NIFRS directs households to its website, nifrs.org, for the online Home Fire Safety Check1. For households in Northern Ireland, the site's guide to alarm rules and fire services in Wales and Northern Ireland sets out the local position, and the home emergencies hub covers wider household planning.
