Decking the Christmas halls can be fun but it is important to remember some holiday fire hazard tips so the celebration doesn’t go up in flames.
The Levelland fire department Derrick Lewis urges people to know fire safety. For example space heaters are highly dangerous if not used properly.
“Space heaters are not permanent heaters. Please be mindful that space heaters aren’t intended for extended periods of time,” said Lewis. “ Long time uses can cause plugs and extension cords to put off excess heat when in use. Please don’t rely on these as a permanent heating fix.”
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPSA), half of all Christmas tree fires are caused by either an electrical problem or a heat source too close to the tree. The most recent NFPSA data indicates that U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 160 fires per year that start with Christmas trees. These fires cause on average two deaths, 12 injuries, and more than $10 million in direct property damage.
Fortunately, these accidents can be prevented by taking proper safety measures when purchasing, setting up, decorating and disposing or storing a tree.
For Christmas fire safety, live trees should be watered, placed away from heat and exits, only tested lights used and unplugged when away, candles kept far from flammable items and cooking supervised, as well as anything with flames.
Keeping smoke alarms tested and batteries updated, an escape plan in the event of a fire and removing dry trees promptly to prevent fires is important to prevent the spread of fire from dry needles or frayed cords.
When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness and green needles.
While artificial trees are safer, this does not mean the tree won’t catch fire. If a label “Fire-Retardant” is present, it indicates the tree will resist burning and extinguish quickly.
When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness and green needles that don’t break or fall off when easily tapped on the ground. Also watch out for trees with a greenish cast on the trunk since some growers spray trees with green paint. Keep the tree outdoors for a day or two in a bucket filled with water before bringing it indoors to decorate to maximize freshness and minimize fire risks.
When setting up a tree, place it away from fireplaces, radiators, portable heaters, heater vents, electronics, and electrical equipment and keep the stand filled with water. Heated rooms rapidly dry live trees. A tree absorbs as much as a gallon of water in the first 24 hours and about a quart of water each day there after.
For decorating, use only indoor or outdoor lights that have been safety tested and labeled as such by an independent testing laboratory and check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections.
Discard damaged sets or repair them before use. Use no more than three standardsize sets of lights per single extension cord and only one extension cord per outlet and do not run electrical cords under rugs. Also keep animals away from electrical cords to avoid hazards caused by entanglement and chewing. Turn off all lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house or office. Never use electric lights on a metallic tree.
It is important to remember that the longer a live tree is up the greater the fire hazard. Do not store live trees in the house or garage and never burn trees in a fireplace or woodstove because they can explode.
Decorations should be made of non-combustible or flame resistant and nonleaded materials. Avoid the use of spun glass (angel hair) to avoid eye and skin irritation and follow directions carefully when using artificial snow sprays to avoid lung irritation.
Paper-wrapped or bagged gifts should never be placed near open flames or electrical connections, and all wrapping paper, boxes and other trash should be removed away from the tree and fireplace after opening. Do not burn wrapping paper in the fireplace because it can burn intensely and ignite creosote deposits in the chimney.
Space heaters are a big cause of fires, not only during Christmas. These should be kept at least 3 feet from anything flammable, placed on a stable, level surface, plugged directly into a wall outlet (no extension cords/power strips), and always turned off when leaving the room or sleeping. It is important to look for models with automatic shutoff for overheating or tipping. Also, ensure good ventilation and install carbon monoxide detectors to prevent fires and CO poisoning, a major winter hazard.