A fire at a residence located in the 2000 block of Jessica Way in Navarre marks the first candle extinguished on the “Keep Your Holidays Bright” fire safety tree.  Santa Rosa County Emergency Communications received a call at approximately 4:30 p.m. reporting a kitchen fire.  Holley-Navarre Fire District, Navarre Beach and Florosa fire departments responded. The fire displaced one adult and two pets, all evacuating the home unharmed.  Damage to the home was minor to moderate. The resident will stay with family. 

Preliminary reports link the fire to the kitchen.  Nationally, cooking is the leading cause of residential building fires in December, accounting for 41 percent of fires. When cooking, be sure the oven and stovetop are clean, free of grease, and are in good working order. Keep cooking areas tidy and free of paper, potholders, towels, drapes and food packaging, which can easily catch fire. Never leave your cooking unattended. Additionally, do not attempt to put out a grease fire with water. For more fire safety tips, watch the first week of holiday safety tips video online at http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/emergency/emvideos.html.  Santa Rosa’s Keep Your Holidays Bright campaign focuses around a Christmas tree decorated with electric candles.  Each time firefighters respond to a working residential fire or large wildfire causing fire damage, a candle will be “extinguished” and replaced with a card noting the basic details of the fire.  Each fire department in Santa Rosa County including Allentown Volunteer Fire, Avalon Fire/Rescue, Bagdad Volunteer Fire, Berrydale Volunteer Fire, the City of Milton Fire, East Milton Fire and Rescue, Gulf Breeze Volunteer Fire, Gulf Coast Emergency Services- NAS Whiting Field, Harold Volunteer Fire, Holley-Navarre Fire District, Jay Volunteer Fire, Midway Fire District, Munson Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Inc.; Navarre Beach Fire, Pace Fire/Rescue District, Skyline Fire and Rescue District, Division of Forestry, and Lifeguard Ambulance Service are working together promote holiday safety.  Santa Rosa County fire departments are teaming up for the third year with Escambia County Fire-Rescue and the City of Pensacola to promote fire safety during the month of December.  Titled “Keep Your Holidays Bright” in Santa Rosa and “Keep the Wreath Green” in Escambia, both counties hope to reduce the number of fires during a time of serious dangers through simple, life saving tips.