A recent fire at a 16,000 square foot mansion on the waterfrontin Anne Arundel County, Maryland, took the lives of six peopleincluding two grandparents and their four grandchildren.

The cause of the fire, according to investigators, was a 16-foottall Christmas tree that the owners left lit most of the time inthe great room of the house. An electrical failure ignited thetwo-month-old tree, which swiftly fueled the fire in the rest ofthe house.

The lack of a sprinkler system inside the house or fire hydrantsand other water sources near the home made it extremely challengingfor fire fighters who responded to the call.

More than 360,000 home structure fires each year

But that is just one example. The cold weather often meansthat people are spending more time at home and all of this timeindoors increases the risks of house fires. The National Fire Protection Association(NFPA) says there are more than 360,000 home structure fires eachyear, resulting in about $6-8 billion dollars in damage.

The causes of these fires range from food left unattended on thestove to candles left burning. From the moment a fire starts to thepoint where the structure is fully engulfed is usually less thantwo minutes, which is why it is so important for occupants to getout of the home as quickly as possible and not try to put out alarge fire themselves.

Minimize risks

A majority of these fires are preventable with some forethoughtand care to minimize the risks.

“From my experience, the five most preventable causes arecooking-related fires, unattended candles, burdened electricalconnections, lighting/appliance malfunctions and smoking cigarettesor cigars,” explained Damon Gersh, CR, president and CEO ofMaxonsRestorations, Inc. in New York City.

Above are the eight most common causes of house fires asidentified by the National Fire Protection Association.

After a fire

If you're unfortunate enough to experience a fire, here are sometips from RainbowInternational and the RestorationIndustry Association:

• Check yourself for injuries and get treatment ifnecessary.
• Find a place to stay. Your local disaster relief service suchas the Red Cross can helpand provide food and other necessities. Don't forget to find a safeplace for your pets.
• Do not enter the structure until it is safe to do so.
• Examine the home. Talk to firefighters about what can besalvaged.
• When safe to enter the structure, check for important documentslike birth certificates, social security cards, insurance policiesand drivers' licenses.
• Notify your insurance company about the fire.
• Keep a log of everyone you speak to concerning the fire.Memories get fuzzy and there will be a lot of details to keep trackof in the coming weeks.
• Make a list of the household contents and take pictures ofdamaged items.
• Keep track of receipts for expenses such as clothing,medications, meals and lodging.
• Contact family members and close friends to let them know whathappened, especially if you will be moving to temporaryhousing.
• Select a service provider and be sure to check references.

Related: Fire prevention: 5 potential fire risks in yourhome