LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The holiday season festivities bring an increased excitement about adorning homes with traditional decorations, but as beautiful as they are, holiday decorations are an added home fire hazard.

Cal Fire and firefighters across California are asking the public to give their families and themselves the most important holiday gift: a fire safe holiday.

Holiday decoration fires are most likely to happen in the living room, family room or den. Almost half of all home decoration fires are started by candles, mostly because the decorations were placed too close to a heat source.

In 2011, nearly 300 Christmas tree and holiday decoration fires were reported to the Cal Fire-Office of the State Fire Marshal.

“In just seconds, a dry Christmas tree can become fully engulfed in flames,” said State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover, Cal Fire-Office of the State Fire Marshal. “By practicing a little extra fire safety this holiday season, you can help reduce the number of holiday decoration-related fire tragedies.”

Cal Fire offers the following safety tips to ensure a safe and happy holiday season.

Christmas trees

• When selecting your live Christmas tree, choose a fresh one with green needles.
• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut two inches from the base of the trunk for better water absorption.
• Check the water level in the tree stand every day.
• Keep both live and artificial trees at least 3 feet away from any heat source including fireplaces and heating vents.
• Decorate Christmas trees with lights that have been tested and labeled by a recognized testing lab.
• Never use lit candles to decorate any tree.
• Unplug Christmas tree lights when leaving home or going to bed.

Holiday decorations

• Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
• Use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors.
• Replace any light strings that are worn or have broken cords or have loose bulb connections.
• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
• Keep your exits clear by keeping decorations away from windows and doors.

For more holiday safety tips, please visit the Cal Fire Web site at www.fire.ca.gov .

FINLEY, Calif. – Tenacious Talkers, Toastmasters Club No. 8731, will meet on Thursday, Dec. 13.

The group meets from 6:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. at 2150 Argonaut Road, Finley.

The meeting starts at 6:15 p.m. sharp, so arrive early.

For more information, call Rick, 707-536-7858.

LUCERNE, Calif. – A caregiver support group for families dealing with memory loss or other cognitive impairments will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 12.

The group meets at St. John’s Lutheran Church at 14310 Memory Lane in Clearlake from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Social worker Jenny Johnson is the facilitator.  

The groups are sponsored by Redwood Caregiver Resource Center (1-800-834-1636) and the Social Day Programs in Lake County.  

For more information call Jenny Johnson at 707-350-3030 or Caroline Denny at 707-263-9481.

Respite is provided by the centers at no charge.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Green Party of Lake County is canceling its meetings for December 2012 and Jan and February 2013.

The next meeting will be on March 17, 2013, at the Lakeport Lagoons, 1800 S. Main St. Lakeport.  

Meetings are held on the third Sunday of every month unless they are canceled.

Have a happy holiday and see you in March.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , visit www.lakecountygreenparty.bravesites.com , or call Joanne or Phil at 707-263-3391.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Holiday lights bring joy to the season, but they can also bring hazards.

An estimated 400 home fires involving Christmas trees or holiday lights occur each year in the U.S., resulting in 21 deaths and $25.2 million in direct property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association and the U.S. Fire Administration.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) encourages its customers to keep safety in mind as they decorate their homes and trees in the coming weeks.

PG&E offers the following holiday lighting safety tips to reduce the risk of fire and injury:

• In addition to being shatterproof and shock resistant, LED lights produce almost no heat, making them safe to touch and greatly reducing the risk of fire.
• Look up and live! Before stringing outdoor lights, check for overhead power lines. Never place yourself or any object in a position that risks contact with a power line – the result can be fatal. Look up before raising ladders or other objects. Keep at least 10 feet away from overhead lines.
• Before stringing lights on outdoor trees, make sure tree limbs haven’t grown into or near power lines. Branches, entire trees and even the ground adjacent to a tree can become energized when trees contact power lines.
• Make sure lights outside the house are approved for outdoor use. Never use indoor lights outdoors.
• Follow the manufacturer’s limits for the number of light strings that can be connected together safely.
• Check all light strands for cracked or broken plugs, frayed insulation or bare wires. Worn cords can cause fires, so discard damaged sets of lights.
• Route cords inside your home so they won’t trip anyone. Don’t place them under rugs, furniture or other appliances. If covered, cords can overheat or become frayed, increasing the risk of fire.
• Always turn off decorative lights – indoors and outdoors – when leaving the house and before going to bed.
• Do not place your tree near a heat source such as a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, making it more susceptible to fires caused by heat, flame or sparks.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Wine Country provides free tax preparation to low- to moderate-income individuals, families, and seniors.

Tax returns are prepared by trained and IRS certified volunteers at local community organizations.

Volunteers are being sought for the program.

If you would like to explore this opportunity and learn about the many volunteer opportunities available, plan to attend a one-hour introductory session at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, at Lake Family Resource Center is sponsoring the sessions at its Lakeport office, 896 Lakeport Blvd. in Lakeport.

For more information on how to volunteer, call Joy Swetnam, Lake Family Resource Center, at 707-262-1379, Extension 112, or 707-272-2660 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .