According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire crews nationwide respond to around 200 house fires each holiday season sparked from Christmas trees.
If a dry tree catches fire, it can take just 20 seconds to become fully engulfed, and it won’t take long after for the room it’s in to become fully involved as well.
Although it is fairly easy for Christmas trees (real and artificial) to catch fire, it’s also just as easy to prevent them by exercising simple fire safety at home.
Captain Kevin Ivy with the Lubbock Fire Department shared there have not been any reported Christmas tree fires in Lubbock so far this holiday season, but when they do break out, it’s usually because of a dry tree.
“You want to make sure you have one still looks healthy, whenever you get home. Cut a couple inches off the bottom of it, and in the stand – make sure that it can hold water. Make sure you water it every day,” said Ivy, who advised that when you first go shopping for that tree, avoid the ones with brown and brittle needles.
Some other easy tips to avoid chances of a fire: do not place heat lamps, space heaters, or candles, or open wires anywhere near the tree, and to make sure that the Christmas lights are actual tree lights and not the ones used to decorate the outside of your home. While some may look similar, the ones used for outside have far stronger bulbs that give off more heat and can create more of a fire hazard if place on a tree indoors.
For more fire safety tips, visit the Lubbock Fire Department’s Facebook page here.
