Along with holiday cheer, the holidays bring a rise in the number of fires. As you are decorating your home for the holidays, please keep these tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Fire Protection Association in mind:

Trees:

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant." Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it does indicate the tree is more resistant to burning.
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers. The bottom of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry out live trees rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic, and do not block doorways.
• If you have a real tree, water it regularly.
  
• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.
• if you have a real tree, dispose of it after 4 weeks.
  

Lights:

• Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a nationally-recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ETL/ITSNA. Use only newer lights that have thicker wiring and are required to have safety fuses to prevent the wires from overheating.
• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets.
• If using an extension cord, make sure it is rated for the intended use.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
• When using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use and only plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protected receptacles or a portable GFCI.
• Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.
• Take down holiday lights after 90 days of use to prevent damage from weather conditions and neighborhood animals.

Candles:

• Keep burning candles within sight.
• Keep lighted candles away from items that can catch fire and burn easily, such as trees, other evergreens, decorations, curtains and furniture.
• Always use non-flammable holders and keep away from children and pets.
• Don't leave children unattended in a room with lit candles.
  
• Extinguish all candles before you go to bed, leave the room or leave the house.

Fireplaces:

• Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that, if eaten, can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting. Keep them away from children.
• Do not burn wrapping paper or plastic items in the fireplace. These materials can ignite suddenly and burn intensely, resulting in a flash fire.
• Place a screen around your fireplace to prevent sparks from igniting nearby flammable materials.

Sources:
1. CPSC Warns: Avoid Hazards Related to Holiday Decorating (press release).
2. National Fire Protection Association, November 2007 press release regarding holiday safety.

Get a free brochure with holiday decorating and toy safety tips at CPSC’s web site www.cpsc.gov (pdf)

See a demonstration showing how flammable a dry Christmas tree can be as opposed to a tree watered regularly. This test was conducted by the National Fire Protection Association and Underwriters Laboratories.

Labels: fire prevention, holiday decorating