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Candles are a safe product and only become a hazard when used improperly. The majority of fires involving candles are not caused by the candles, but by people using them in an unsafe manner.
The National Candle Association recommends the following safety tips when burning candles:

• NEVER leave a burning candle unattended. Extinguish all candles when
  leaving a room or before going to sleep.
  
  
• Always burn candles on protected, heat-resistant surfaces specifically designed for candle
  use. The holder should be big enough to collect dripping wax.
  
  
• Keep burning candles away from anything flammable, such as furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, flammable decorations, etc.
  
  
• Avoid putting candles in drafts to prevent rapid, uneven burning and excessive dripping.
  Drafts can also blow lightweight curtains or papers into the flame where they could catch fire. Summer fans can cause drafts.
  
  
• Clean and trim candlewicks to 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch before lighting. Long or crooked wicks
  cause uneven burning and dripping. Keep candles free of wick trimmings, matches or any flammable material that might ignite.
  
  
• Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets. Do not place lighted candles where they can be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else.
  
  
• Discontinue use of a container or votive candle when 1/2-inch of un-melted wax remains.
  This will prevent possible heat damage to the counter/surface and prevent glass containers from cracking or breaking. Extinguish taper and pillar candles when they get down to within two inches of their holders or decorations.
  
  
• Candles should be placed at least three inches apart so they don’t melt one another.
  
  
• The best way to extinguish a candle is to use a special candle snuffer or candle quencher or,
  if not available, hold your finger in front of the flame and blow at your finger. The air will
  flow around the finger and extinguish the candle from both sides preventing hot wax from spattering.
  
  
• Do not extinguish candles with water. The water can cause the hot wax to spatter and some candle containers to break.
  
  
• Flashlights and other battery-powered lights are much safer light sources than candles
  during a power failure.
  
  
• Don’t use a candle as light when you go into a closet to look for things.
  
  
• Never use a candle for light when fueling equipment such as a lantern or kerosene heater.

All candles produce minute amounts of soot that is similar to the soot given off by toasters and cooking oils in the kitchen. None of these everyday sources of soot present a health concern.
To minimize soot, consumers should keep wicks trimmed to 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch and keep
candles away from drafts and vents.

Safety is a top priority at the National Candle Association. For more than 25 years, NCA members have voluntarily agreed to stop using lead-core wicks. Today, the NCA supports the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) recent decision to ban lead-core wicks in candles and the removal of any lead-core wick candles from the market. A small percentage of imported candles
may contain lead-core wicks.

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There has been a steady decline in the average number of gasoline fires in homes each year
since 1980 when there were 15,000 fires.

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