We get asked every year about Christmas trees and other
holiday fire risks. If you’re wondering
if your tree is a fire risk, the answer is yes, but you can do a lot to make
your Christmas safer. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, only about
160 fires in the United states each year are due to Christmas trees, which is a
relatively small fraction of the more than 350,000 home fires every year.
Having the right Firesafe Equipment on hand, such as fire extinguishers, is important to have if a
fire breaks out, but fire safety starts with prevention!
So, how do you make sure your tree is unlikely to catch fire? Artificial trees with fire retardant are the best bet, three quarters of Christmas tree fires involve living trees, but if you love your live tree here are a few important tips to keep you safe this holiday season:
1) Make sure your live tree isn’t too dry. When buying a tree make sure the needles don’t come off easily when you lightly shake the tree. Make sure you water your tree to keep it more resistant to catching fire and recut the base just before putting it in water.
2) Make sure you always turn off your lights at night. Most lethal house fires occur when you’re asleep and unable to react. Even though it can be tempting to keep the tree lit up at night, 44% of Christmas tree fires are related to lights and electrical problems.
So, how do you make sure your tree is unlikely to catch fire? Artificial trees with fire retardant are the best bet, three quarters of Christmas tree fires involve living trees, but if you love your live tree here are a few important tips to keep you safe this holiday season:
1) Make sure your live tree isn’t too dry. When buying a tree make sure the needles don’t come off easily when you lightly shake the tree. Make sure you water your tree to keep it more resistant to catching fire and recut the base just before putting it in water.
2) Make sure you always turn off your lights at night. Most lethal house fires occur when you’re asleep and unable to react. Even though it can be tempting to keep the tree lit up at night, 44% of Christmas tree fires are related to lights and electrical problems.
3) This may be obvious, but keep your tree away from fires
and heating elements of any kind. About a quarter of all Christmas tree fires
are caused by candles, heaters, and other heat sources being too close to the
tree. The rule of thumb is to keep your
tree at least 3 feet away from any heat source.
4) If you’re using old lights, inspect them thoroughly for
any fraying and never use lights with any wire damage. If you’re buying new lights, make sure they
were evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, like Underwriters
Laboratories (UL).
5) As beautiful as they are, the longer a Christmas tree is up, the dryer and more dangerous it becomes. Compost or otherwise dispose of your tree away from your home.
We hope you have a safe, festive, and beautiful winter holiday season. If you’re concerned about the risks of a house fire, be sure to contact us to learn about the equipment you need to reduce risk and have peace of mind.
