To reduce the chance of a holiday tragedy, the Bureau of Fire Services (BFS) is urging consumers to thoroughly water their Christmas tree daily.
If a tree has already become too dry, Deputy State Fire Marshal Tony Sanfilippo says to remove the tree from the home.
"When a Christmas tree catches fire there are literally only seconds to escape safely," said Sanfilippo. "Removing a dry tree and subsequently the chance for a deadly fire to occur is easier to live with than the consequences such as the loss of your home, or even worse, family members. A Christmas tree is replaceable - but your loved ones are not, so don't take the risks."
The BFS asks consumers to follow these tips for holiday tree safety: - When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant." Although this label does not mean the tree will not catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
- When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
- When setting up a tree at home cut one or two inches off the bottom and place the tree in water as soon as possible. Keep the stand filled water because heated rooms dry out live trees rapidly.
- Place the tree away from fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, heating vents, and other sources of heat. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
- Christmas trees should be checked daily and at the first sign of dryness be removed from the home. The drier the tree, the greater the fire hazard.
To see a video of how a holiday tree fire can spread in a matter of seconds, click on this link from the National Institute of Standards and Technology: www.usfa.dhs.gov
