Philadelphia Fire Officials Offer Safety Tips For Holiday Season

Americans buy around 30 million real Christmas trees every year to decorate their homes and businesses during the holiday season. “All it takes is one short and a dry Christmas tree, and those things will burn like gasoline”, the deputy chief said.

“Gently grasp the branch between their thumb and forefinger and pull it towards them”. The West Virginia Division of Forestry provides an interactive map and listings of participating Choose and Cut Christmas tree farms.

Another test is to shake or bounce the tree on its stump. You want to start with a tree that will last the longest, especially if you put it up weeks before Christmas.

“Because the conductive tissue responsible for getting that water up the tree is in that outside ring”, Stelzer says.

Try to only use fire-retardant decorations and keep those made out of paper away from the lights, which produce heat and could set them on fire.

The holiday season is a joyous time but unfortunately, it presents many opportunities for home fires to occur.

And if you plan on having a real tree make sure it is watered daily because once its dry it is very flammable. Cut one-half to 1 inch off of the bottom of the trunk and immediately place the stump end in water. And North Carolina Christmas trees are shipped all over the country.

Once you’ve determined that your tree is hydrated, you need to keep it that way.

“The acidic soil, well-drained soil, is an important part of that for us to grow them here and then of course adequate rainfall which we’ve certainly had our fair share of that recently”, says Joseph Noble, son of Bert Noble, owner of Noble Tree Farm. 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. Only use clean water in your tree stand.

Don’t overload electrical outlets and don’t run extension cords under rugs, across doorways or near heaters.

“It’s an honor to have the Christmas tree from a local farmer and placed in the Texas house chamber where I serve”, the representative said.

The Red Cross offers the following tips to keep your home safe during this holiday season. Residents are asked to make sure their holiday light strands are in working order and that the lights are labeled as safety-certified. A lot of people prefer the Noble, a little bit thicker needles on them and a fuller tree than the Grand Fir. Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.