Without proper care, the perfect tree can be a perfect fire hazard

Photo By Michael Curtis | Without proper care, the perfect tree can be a perfect fire hazard.  

FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI, UNITED STATES

12.02.2013

Courtesy Story

Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office

Story by Olaf Jensen, Fort Leonard Wood Fire Department

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - Thanksgiving has come and gone and now the Christmas season is upon us. It’s time to dig out all the holiday decorations and put up the tree.

Many families have made this process of selecting a tree, a family tradition.

I remember growing up as a little boy going down to the local tree farm with my father and brother to find the perfect tree. This was an annual pilgrimage of finding and cutting down the perfect tree, loading it in the truck and with the smell of fresh cut pine, this kicked off the holiday excitement for our family.

Today, my family and I no longer use a real tree, but instead have an artificial one. I was willing to sacrifice lack of pine needles, tree sap and other associated house keeping predicaments that occur as a result of live Christmas trees make our artificial tree even more attractive.

For those who, like us, enjoy the safety and convenience of an artificial tree, it is still important to make sure that the tree is certified fire resistant by a recognized testing facility such as Underwriters Laboratories or Factory Mutual — usually designated by UL or FM. A fire on any day seems bad, but a fire on Christmas seems to be the worst. Some 300 Christmas trees caught fire in one recent year, with electrical problems the most common culprit.

Here’s how to keep your tree green and your presents safe:

— When picking out a live tree, choose a fresh one. Shake the tree. Very few, if any, needles should fall off.

— The sap that seeps from a pine tree trunk once the tree has been cut down will harden and make it difficult for the tree to absorb water. Once you have picked out your tree, have the vendor make a fresh cut (take about two inches off) at the base of the trunk.

— When you get the tree home, put it in water immediately.

— Place the tree in a sturdy stand away from heat sources such as a fireplace, lamps, heating vents and space heaters.

— Water the tree every day. The tree stand should hold a quart of water for every inch of trunk diameter. A six-foot tree will have about a four inch trunk. So, the tree stand should hold at least one gallon of water.

— Be sure that the tree is not near or blocking an exit or hallway.

— Decorate the tree only with lights designed for indoor use on Christmas Trees. Only use lights listed by testing labs such as UL or FM.

— If the tree starts to drop needles, it has become too dry and should be taken down.

Surely, no one is still using candles to light Christmas trees. However, many people use candles elsewhere during the holidays. Be sure to keep candles at least three feet away from the tree (and other combustibles) as well.

Finally, it should go without saying, don’t burn your Christmas tree in a fireplace. But every year we hear a story of a fire department responding to a house fire that occurred as someone tried to dispose of their Christmas tree in the fireplace.

Now that we have selected the perfect tree, either real or artificial, it’s now time to decorate it. This often includes stringing up the Christmas lights. Care must be taken when putting up Christmas lights to prevent them from becoming a fire hazard.

Overloaded electric outlets and faulty wires are the most common causes of holiday fires in residences. First, make sure that all electrical Christmas decorations bare the label of a recognized testing facility such as UL or FM.

Another important step is to make sure that all electrical Christmas decorations are used per the manufacture’s specifications, such as inside or outside use. Such decorations outside are, of course, subjected to rain, snow and frequent changes in temperature. Lights not designed for outside use may allow moisture into the electrical components of the lights or decoration creating an electrical shock or fire hazard.

Use only heavy gauge three prong extension cords approved for outdoor use. If the cord will be plugged into an exterior electrical outlet, the outlet should have a ground fault interrupter, or GFI. It is also prohibited to run extension cords through doorways or hang them on nails.

Extension cords need to be checked routinely for damage. Underwriters Laboratories offers these additional safety steps to take when using extension cords:

Never keep an extension cord plugged in when not in use. The cord will still conduct electricity until it is unplugged from the outlet.

Most newer, indoor cords with more than one outlet have covers for the unused openings — use them. Children and pets face serious injury if they chew on unused outlets or stick metal objects into the openings.

Do not use extension cords that are cut or damaged. Touching even a single exposed strand of wire can give you an electric shock or burn.

Never file or cut the plug blades or grounding pin of an extension cord or appliance to plug it into an old outlet.

As a safety feature, extension cords and most appliances have polarized plugs (one blade wider than the other). These special plugs are designed to prevent electric shock by properly aligning circuit conductors. If a plug does not fit, have a qualified electrician install a new outlet.

Without a doubt, Christmas lights help set the mood for the holiday season. With proper care and maintenance, lights can be displayed safely and reduce the risk of having our holidays ruined by a fire.

All of us here at the Fort Leonard Wood Fire and Emergency Services would like to wish everyone a happy and fire safe holiday season. For more information about holiday fire safety, contact the Fort Leonard Wood Fire Department Fire Prevention Section at 596.0883.

(Editor’s note: Jensen is a fire prevention inspector with the Fort Leonard Wood Fire Department)

• Date Taken: 12.02.2013
• Date Posted: 12.05.2013 15:19
• Story ID: 117798
• Location: FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI, US