As the holiday and post-holiday season often leads to a number of home fires nationwide, the National Fire Protection Association states there are many things homeowners can do to prevent fires from occurring.

From 2005 to 2009, an average of 150 house fires took place each year, with eight deaths annually from these incidents, according to the NFPA.

Through careful holiday decoration storage and removal methods, the NFPA states homeowners can avoid incurring damages to their residences and having to file a Virginia home insurance claim.

"It's not uncommon to see residents keeping lights and Christmas trees up past December," said the NFPA's vice president of communications, Lorraine Carli. "The reality is, continued use of seasonal lighting and dried-out Christmas trees can pose significant fire hazards in and outside the home."

Ways in which homeowners can adequately protect their homes from fires include avoiding yanking wires out of outlets, inspecting holiday lights for damage and wrapping those lights in individual bags when not being used.

The U.S. Fire Administration and the National Fire Protection Association report fires account for an average of $1.7 billion in structural damage during the wintertime each year.