RIVERDALE, Ga. — Many people are looking forward to the Christmas holiday next week. Even though they bring cheer, Christmas trees cause an average of six deaths, 16 injuries and $16.2 million in property damage yearly, according to the National Fire Research Laboratory.
Getting a live Christmas tree is a beloved tradition for many families, but with the joys of the season can come dangers for you and your family.
Clayton County Interim Fire Chief Tim Sweat said the most important thing to prevent your Christmas tree from catching fire is to keep it properly watered.
“The older and drier the tree is, the quicker it's going to ignite," Sweat said. “Standards say for every one-inch diameter, the base of the tree requires one quart of water, so if you have a three-inch diameter base, it requires three quarts of water per day to maintain the moisture in the tree to keep it alive and fresh throughout the holiday season.”
Chief Sweat wanted to show how fast a healthy tree can go up in flames, so he gave 11Alive a demonstration at Clayton County Fire & Emergency Services' burn building. Within a minute, the room was engulfed in flames.
Another hazard of the holiday season is space heaters, potentially causing your home to go up in flames.
"When it comes to space heaters, normally there's ones that get accidentally tipped over or ones they get accidentally kind of nudged either by an animal or a small child or an adult," Sweat said. "They can get turned around, and their close proximity to things at night can cause a fire."
Heating equipment is the second most common reason for residential house fires and causes more than 52,000 homes to go up in flames yearly. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 44% of fires are from space heaters.
Sweat said you should keep your space heater at least 36 inches away from any combustible items. It could include things like curtains, furniture, or a Christmas tree.
“Take a space heater that is producing heat; if that item is heated up to its ignited temperature, that item can spontaneously ignite, and then the rest of the items around it including the tree, will go up in flames," Sweat said.
Hardly anything was left after the fire demonstration Wednesday, and Chief Sweat hopes seeing the aftermath can encourage people to take steps to stay safe this holiday season.
“If you stop watering frequently, you'll start to see those pine needles start to change colors, which are indicative of it starting to die out, and it needs to be disposed of," Sweat said.
Some other holiday fire safety tips include:
- A certified professional should clean and inspect the Heating equipment and chimneys annually.
- As the manufacturer indicates, always use the right kind of fuel for fuel-burning space heaters.
- Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
- Place a sturdy screen outside fireplaces to prevent sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before being placed in a metal container, and you should place them outside at least 10 feet from your home.
- All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly.