Don’t make candles a fire hazard, experts warn

Lighting candles is a commandment in Judaism, but it doesn’t necessarily protect a household from fire. So, though we want our Shabbat, Chanukah, and yahrzeit candles to burn brightly, if not controlled, those flames can engulf a home.

“There’s always a risk when it comes to open flames,” says Josh Gava, a director at ZAKA South Africa. “There’s the danger of having electricity in your house and leaving, so it’s not just candles. The reality is that there’s always risk. One should just be careful that the candles are left in an appropriate space.”

Even though candles shouldn’t be left unattended, Gava knows that sometimes this is unrealistic. “The reality is that people light their Shabbat candles and they go to shul,” he says. “It’s just about having an awareness of what’s around the candle, how long it will burn, and ensuring that there’s some sort of a base for it that’s not combustible. And that there’s nothing around it that can catch alight.”

Often people will put their candles on a counter near a curtain or near something wooden which can catch alight. It’s therefore important that you put candles on a surface not near anything combustible, the ZAKA Fire Containment Unit (FCU) says.

Gava says he will always put a small piece of tinfoil underneath a candle or his menorah to ensure that if it burns to the end, the fire gets extinguished and cannot spread.

Nicole Bartkunsky, a project manager, learning experience designer, and corporate coach, says she’s so afraid of fire, she takes every precaution to ensure that her Shabbat candles are safe. Bartkunsky, now living in Johannesburg, grew up in Canada where she saw that houses could burn in minutes.

“Since we don’t have a fire department near us, we have smoke detectors throughout my house, plus carbon monoxide monitors and fire blankets as well as extinguishers,” she says. “We removed the burglar bars off the windows because I recall a couple burning to death as they couldn’t get out of their house. Over and above that, I light my candles on a granite top, and remove anything nearby, in case they fall over or explode for whatever reason, so that nothing can catch alight.”

Gava says Shabbat candles tend to burn for longer and are a bit safer and more controlled because they are often in glass cups on candlesticks, but that doesn’t take away from the dangers they represent.

“Most fires start small, and they can get much bigger, much faster,” he says. “An awareness of fire safety is the biggest gift to prevention.”

Gava says ZAKA FCU has witnessed huge fires starting from the smallest of embers.

Tammy Swisa, who experienced a house fire when the cottage on her family’s property burned down in 2023, says there has been a change in the way her family reacts to having candles lit in the house.

“We’ve become even more mindful when lighting candles,” she says. “We take extra precautions by ensuring that they are in a safe place – like the sink – if we leave the house, and keeping them away from fire-hazardous items.”

Penny Swisa, Tammy’s mother said, “If it’s yom tov with many candles, I sometimes don’t light candles at all. My brother who is a rabbi in Israel has told me that it’s better to not light candles at all if there’s the potential for any risk.”

Penny also uses a metal tray and candle holders in an open space to prevent accidents, and avoids lighting them in glass cups with oil.

Chanukah candles are probably where the most danger lies, says Gava, because you are often burning more than one candle in a menorah that might have been made at school or is home made, and these tend to be made from wood.

“In a Chanukah candle, the wax drips down, so it tends to be a bit more dangerous as it becomes a candle itself,” he says.

As well as smaller measures such as putting tinfoil under the candle, Gava suggests that all homes should have fire extinguishers and fire blankets to ensure that people can contain a smaller fire in the home.

“Fire safety plans must be put into place. With that comes the understanding that fire can spread very quickly and the smaller the appearance of a fire, the more chance you have of putting it out and limiting damage to the property.”

ZAKA FCU also suggests that all candles be left on a stable, non-flammable surface, such as a metal tray or glass plate away from drafts such as open windows or fans, to prevent flames from spreading.