PANAMA CITY — It probably won’t happen to you, but if it does, it would be bad.
Home fires stemming from Christmas tree or other holiday lighting are rare, occurring at only an average of 150 homes around the country each year, according to the National Fire Prevention Association.
When they do happen, however, they are more likely to kill someone than a regular house fire. In fact, one in 40 Christmas tree fires will result in a death; only one of every 142 total home fires will be deadly.
Local fire safety officials have offered tips on everything from choosing a tree to inspecting lights so no one’s holidays are ruined. Lt. Bob Goree, a fire inspector and investigator for the Panama City Fire Department, said it’s impossible to completely fireproof anything, but there are steps to take to reduce the risk of a fire.
“Typically if you have a Christmas tree fire, the tree is going to be dry,” Goree said.
The first thing to know is that not all Christmas trees are created equal; the fresher the tree, the less prone it will be to burst into flames, Goree said. To find a fresh tree, grab it and pick it up; a tree that sheds its needles easily is not as fresh as one with needles that stay put, and a heavy tree contains more moisture than a light one of comparable size, Goree said.
“When you buy your tree, you always want to make sure you have a fresh tree,” Goree said. “A good rule of thumb is — if the tree is heavy, it’s a fresh tree.”
Artificial trees are less dangerous than a real tree, said Capt. Joe Cocco of the Panama City Beach Fire Department.
“Real trees are more dangerous. ... Usually most artificial trees have some sort of fire retardant,” Cocco said. “You’ve got to think of it as a fuel source inside your home.”
Whether real or fake, a tree should be placed a minimum of 3 feet away from any heat source, including candles, fireplaces or space heaters, inside the home. And be sure not to block exits with the tree.
“That’s the reason that a lot of people die in fires. … [T]he means of egress is blocked,” Cocco said.
A real tree will need a water source, and Goree and Cocco recommend the water be replenished daily. There’s no need to add anything to the water; Goree said some people add sugar believing it will keep the tree healthier, but that’s a myth.
In case it doesn’t go without saying, nobody should ever decorate a tree with a candle.
When decorating a Christmas tree, be sure to inspect each strand of bulbs individually before hanging them. Look for bad or broken bulbs and frayed or damaged wires.
“You’re just looking for anything that doesn’t look right or is just worn out,” Cocco said.
Lights that are laboratory tested will be marked with “UL” on a tag on the cord and on the package, and it’s best to plug directly into the socket. But if, after stringing up those lights, the socket is ever so slightly out of reach and an extension cord is required, use a surge protector instead, Goree said.
“That’s another layer of protection,” Goree said.
Unplug the decorations at bedtime and when nobody’s using them, and even though fire prevention experts recommend batteries in smoke detectors be changed every six months or so when Daylight Saving Time begins and ends, it wouldn’t hurt to doublecheck when that tree goes up.