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Preventing
Holiday Tree Fires
Selecting a Tree for the Holiday
Special fire safety precautions need to be taken when keeping a live
tree in the house. A burning tree can rapidly fill a room with fire and
deadly gases.
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Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to
pull back from the branches, and the needle should not break if the
tree has been freshly cut.
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The trunk should be sticky to the touch.
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Bouncing the tree trunk on the ground can identify old
trees. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has
probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.
Caring for Your Tree
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Do not place your tree close to a heat source,
including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree,
causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks.
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Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a
tree.
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Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up
for longer than two weeks.
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Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.
Disposing of Your Tree
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Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or
wood-burning stove.
When the tree
becomes dry, discard or recycle it promptly.
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Holiday Lights
Maintain Your Holiday Lights
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Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires,
bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and
excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting
listed by an approved testing laboratory.
Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets
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Do not link more than three light strands, unless the
directions indicate it is safe.
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Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before
plugging the cord into the outlet.
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Make sure to periodically check the wires - they
should not be warm to the touch.
Do Not
Leave Holiday Lights on Unattended
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Holiday Decorations
Use Only Nonflammable Decorations
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All decorations should be nonflammable or
flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents.
Never Put Wrapping Paper in the Fireplace
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It can throw off dangerous sparks and produce a
chemical buildup in the home that could cause an explosion.
Artificial Holiday Trees
If you are
using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.
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Candle Care
Avoid Using Lit Candles
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If you do use lit candles, make sure they are in
stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked
down.
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Never leave the house with candles burning.
Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree
Do not go
near a holiday tree with an open flame - candles, lighters or matches.
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Electrical cords
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Plug no more than
three standard-size sets of lights into a single extension cord;
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Keep cords out of
high-traffic areas where people might trip over them;
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Don’t run a cord
under a rug or carpet, since wires can overheat and surrounding
material could catch on fire; and
Be
careful when placing cords behind furniture--if pinched, cords can fray.
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Fireplaces
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Before starting a
fire, remove all decorations from the area and be sure the flue is
open;
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Keep a screen in
front of the fireplace any time a fire is burning; and
Never
use the fireplace as an incinerator. Do not burn wrappings or evergreen
boughs there. These can burn suddenly and rapidly, throwing off sparks
and burning debris.
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Portable
Heaters
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Keep all
portable heaters at least three feet away from flammable items.
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Turn off space
heaters before leaving a room or going to sleep.
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Use only
manufacture recommended fuel in portable kerosene heaters.
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Shut down and
cool off such equipment before refueling.
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Final Tips
Finally, as in every season, have working smoke alarms
installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them
clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Know when and how
to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan.
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If you have any questions or suggestions for more tips on
seasonal fire prevention, please contact us.
This information has been especially prepared for the holiday season.
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