Sunday, December 18, 2011
Highly Flammable Christmas tree?
- The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reports more than double the number of open-flame fires on Christmas Day than on an average day, and about twice as many on New Year’s Day.
- Property loss during a holiday fire is 34 percent greater than in an average fire, and the number of fatalities per thousand fires is nearly 70 percent higher.
- If the source of the fire is a highly flammable Christmas tree, the toll in property and lives is even greater.
- It takes less than 30 seconds for a dry tree to engulf a room in flames, according to the Building and Fire Research Laboratory of the National Institute for Standards and Technology.
- To minimize risk, buy a fresh tree with intact needles, get a fresh cut on the trunk, and water it every day. A well-watered tree is almost impossible to ignite. Keep the tree away from heat sources, such as a fireplace or radiator, and out of traffic patterns. If using live garlands and other greenery, keep them at least three feet away from heating sources. No matter how well the tree is watered, it will start to dry out after about four weeks.
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