Fresh or Fake, Save the Holidays with These Xmas Tree Fire Safety Tips

Whether your Christmas Tree was cutdown from the wilderness or carried down from the attic, no one wants a house fire for the holidays.

Each holiday season in the U.S., there are more than 150 house fires caused or related to Christmas Trees, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Additionally, the cause of nearly 8,000 house fires each year is attributed to burning candles, officials with the Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY) say.

FASNY has released these important tips to keep in mind when it comes to holiday trees and decorations:

1. Fresh trees are less likely to catch fire, so look for a tree with vibrant green needles that are hard to pluck and don’t break easily from its branches. The tree shouldn’t be shedding its needles readily.

2. Always place your tree away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights, and keep the tree base filled with water to avoid a dry out.

3. Make sure all your indoor and outdoor Christmas lights have been tested in a lab by the UL or ETL/ITSNA for safety, and throw out any damaged lights.

4. Any lights you use outdoors must be labeled suitable for exterior placement, and be sure to plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter protected receptacle.

5. Keep all your holiday candles away from your Christmas tree, surrounding furniture and décor.

6. Don’t forget to turn your Christmas tree lights off each night.

According to United State Fire Administration, 122 people were killed in house fires in 2021. Through the first eleven months of this year, the agency has reported 127 such fatalities in New York State alone.