Holiday decorations are doing up and that’s prompting annual warnings on Christmas tree safety.
The National Fire Protection Association said that between 2014 and 2018, Christmas tree fires did $10 million in damage in the U.S. That includes an average of 160 incidents per year.
Andrea Vastis is the Association’s Director of Public Education. She said there’s a safe way to celebrate the holidays with a Christmas tree.
“While the number of trees that catch fire is not very high, unfortunately they’re very devastating,” she said. “It’s important that you are keeping that tree watered, paying attention to it and when it starts to turn brown and the needles all start really falling off, it’s time for it to go.”
Vastis said removing frayed electrical cords is also another way to help make sure your home is safe from holiday fires. She added it’s important to review your home fire safety systems while preparing for the holidays.
“Now that everyone’s going to be together, it’s important to remember to do a few things. One is testing your smoke alarms, make sure they work,.” Vastis said. “Make sure you have enough smoke alarms, they should be in each bedroom and on every level of the home.”
Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are also among the top three days for U.S. home cooking fires. The Association’s report said 75 percent of Christmas tree fires occur in December and January, and close to half of these blazes happen in the living room. Fifteen percent of holiday fires are set intentionally.