It’s peak holiday fire time

A dried-out, eight-foot Christmas tree can light, blaze and burn to ash in less than a minute, causing considerable damage in the process, according to research by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The National Fire Prevention Association reports that between 2009 and 2013 U.S. fire departments responded to 210 home fires that started with Christmas trees. Approximately 860 home fires start with decorations yearly. According to the NFPA, Christmas tree fires kill six civilians a year, and cost an estimated $18.3 million in property damage.

“What makes them dangerous is they’re very large, and they’re very easy to heat up,” said Isaac Leventon, a doctorate candidate in the University of Maryland’s Department of Fire Protection Engineering. “The tree’s shape is almost optimized for burning, and then you leave it inside your home and let it dry out over weeks.”

Now that it is Christmas, trees and decorations can present serious problems. The trunk of the tree should have been cut just prior to bringing it home, and it should have been kept in enough water to cover the trunk two inches. Once the needles are dry the tree should be dismantled and recycled.

Replace any string of lights that are worn or have burned out, make sure they have a label from a recognized testing lab and that they are for indoor use. Never use electric lights on a metal tree.

The Oceanside Fire Department reminds you to keep children and pets at least three feet from the tree, and keep the tree three feet from a heat source like a fireplace, radiator, heat vent, candle or light. Never use candles to decorate a tree. Remember to turn off the tree lights when you leave the house or go to bed.