Christmas Trees Are Going Up: But Don't Let Them Go Up in Flames

The Holiday Season has officially begun as we say goodbye November and hello December.

If you have already decorated or will be decorating a live Christmas tree, keep these tips in mind:

• Choose a tree that is fresh and has green needles.

• Cut 2 inches from the trunk of the tree before placing it in the stand.

• Make sure the tree is at least three (3) feet away from any heat sources

• including space heaters, fireplaces, radiators, candles, or vents

• Be sure that the tree is not blocking any exits.

• Add water to the tree stand and be sure to water the tree daily.

• NEVER use lit candles to decorate the tree

• Use UL listed Christmas lights (pay attention to Indoor/Outdoor use)

• Do not overload your sockets with plugging lights into more lights

• Always turn off and unplug tree lights and decorations before going to sleep or leaving the home.

• If you use an artificial tree:

• make sure tree is UL listed

• is labeled as "flame resistant/retardant"

It is also very important to dispose of your tree promtply after the holiday season. The longer the tree is in the home, the more flammable it becomes. Fires resulting from Christmas trees are more likely to be serious. Check with your local community to find a recycling program to help with disposal of the tree. NFPA Statistics from 2015 indicate that almost 40% of home fires involving Christmas trees occur in the month of Janauary, significantly past the Holiday celebration.

Please watch the video included to see how quickly a Christmas tree can burn.

MD Life Safety wants to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.