The Sparks Fire Department is reminding community members to take extra precautions this holiday season after a fire on Sunday, sparked by an unattended candle in a wreath, gutted the living and dining rooms of a two-story house.

The owners were away from the house located in the 1900 block of Deep Creek Court in Sparks on Sunday. When they returned home at about 3:50 p.m., they saw smoke when they opened their downstairs garage door, said SFD Division Chief Bill Finley. They went up half a level of stairs and realized there was a fire in the living and dining rooms. Drapes near a wreath with a candle burning had caught on fire. Finley said the residents tried to extinguish the fire but eventually evacuated and called 911.

"There was a Christmas tree real close by, which added to the fuel loading," Finley said. "Once the tree goes up, there's flashover when there's so much heat in there. It was fast moving."

Sparks firefighters extinguished the fire and determined the candle in the wreath was the source, but the Christmas tree, the size of which Finley said nobody could confirm, was a nearby combustible. No one was injured.

Finley said the house has a vaulted ceiling in the living room and sheetrock and insulation were removed and cleaned up. He said the family would be out of the house for six months.

"The investigator estimated the damage at $175,000," he said. "Originally we thought it was $150,000, but it's gone up."

Finley said the couple are insured and have not asked the SFD for help. He said they prefer to maintain their privacy.

"A big deal comes when people don't have insurance," Finley said.

Even so, Finley said it's important for residents to be mindful of their Christmas trees and candles.

"The message we want to get out is about those Christmas trees," he said. "I'll be honest. There was a fatal fire 20 years ago. I used to have cut trees (in my house). Three children died in that fire. Now you'll never find a cut tree in my house."

Finley asked to remind residents who have trees to keep them well-watered, trim off the bottoms midway through the Christmas season, use circuit-breaking plug strips for lights and to ensure that the lights are working properly. Finley said a good indicator of what kind of shape the tree is in can be determined by its pine needles.

"If you end up with one of those tress that are losing needles bad now, consider taking it now," he said.

After Christmas, Finley suggests taking trees for recycling at Shadow Mountain Park starting Friday.