How to keep your Christmas tree fire free
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – The holiday season is suspected to be the reason December ranks the top month for house fires in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association, with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as the leading days for home fires.
That trend proving to be similar to what ServPro of Idaho Falls sees locally.
"We have seen a spike. Even in the last week there's been three fires that we've noticed and that's more than we would ever see, like, in the previous months," said Amber Hill, ServPro of Idaho Falls' Sales & Marketing Manager.
Setting up that decked out Christmas tree, lighting that cinnamon candle, using the furnace or fireplace and cooking that delicious meal can all be factors in what sparks a fire.
ServPro of Idaho Falls and the Idaho Falls Fire Department say the artificial Christmas trees are at less risk of becoming a fire hazard, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.
"A fake tree is plastic, it's still gonna burn," IFFD Battalion Chief Mark Pitcher said. "It's probably not going to catch fire probably as easily as next week's old Christmas tree that's been sitting up for a month that the water was sucked dry three weeks ago."
Keeping Christmas merry and bright all comes down to proper preparation.
The best ways to keep our tree and home safe from catching fire? Keeping it properly watered and at least three feet away from any kind of heat, including a space heater and candles.
Part of great preparation comes with having an emergency and evacuation plan in place.
"A lot of people, they don't know how to respond," Hill said. "They need to have an emergency readiness package prepared. So, it's something you should do as part of your home maintenance." That includes making sure your smoke detectors work properly.
Knowing who to call and what to do when and if a fire sparks is important. Battalion Chief Pitcher says it's best to not fight the flame and just call 911 immediately as the fire only doubles in size every minute.
That delay does cause more damage and more hazard to lives than activating 911," Pitcher said.
