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Posted by Pierre Levingston on December 4, 2009

Dangers of Christmas Tree Fires

Posted under Family

Christmas wouldn’t feel like Christmas without the special treat of a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. If you are like millions of other Americans around the country, then getting a real tree is a priority. If that is your case, there are certain safeguards you should take to prevent a fire from happening.

When Christmas tree fires occur they often spread fast. As a result they can cause serious injuries and inflict intense damage to the home. Christmas tree fires have been the cause of over $13 million in property damage.

The reasons for these horrific fires are because of a dry tree. Most Christmas tree fires start due to shorts in the lights. Another common reason is that the fire was placed too closely to an open flame.

According to the Building and Fire Research Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and technology, real Christmas trees that aren’t well watered are the biggest risk of having a tree catch on fire. They have a video on their website that shows how quickly a fire can spread due to a dry Christmas tree. It’s a real eye opener because it visually shows how quickly a fire reaches the tree.

This video shows that a fire can begin in as little as three seconds. Within 40 seconds the entire room is filled with harsh smoke and a deadly fire. It’s no surprise that 1 out of every 9 Christmas tree fires ends with a tragic death.

Thankfully the statistics show that Christmas trees that do catch on fire are a very small portion of the amount of live Christmas trees that are sold. The best way to prevent a fire from happening is to keep your tree properly watered. A well-hydrated tree has a great chance of not being able to catch on fire, even when it is intentionally lit.

The best preventative measure is to keep your tree well watered, though there are also other things you can do to safeguard your tree from catching on fire. Read the instructions on your Christmas tree lights before decorating to make sure they are placed correctly. Never place worn lights or candles on your tree.

Keep your tree at least three feet away from a source of heat. Be sure to put it far away from anything that has an open flame that can accidentally reach it. Don’t place it in an area that will get too much direct contact with sunlight because you don’t want it to have unnecessary water loss.

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