Christmas trees are an essential part of the holiday season. But they also cause an average of 200 home fires per year, resulting in an average of six civilian fire deaths, 16 civilian fire injuries, and $14.8 million in property damage, according to studies conducted by the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System and the National Fire Prevention Association.
 
More importantly, these fires present a real risk to family and friends. When showcasing a live tree in your home, the combination of tree dryness, an electrical malfunction with lights, and poorly located heating sources can make for a deadly combination.
 

Follow These Safety Precautions to Keep Fire Threat at Bay:

• Look for fresh, vibrant trees as they are less likely to catch fire – the needles should be hard to pull off and don’t break easily from the branches
• Make sure all of your indoor/outdoor lighting has the UL or ETL/ITSNA label for safety and throw out damaged lights
• Keep holiday candles away from flammable objects like your tree, surrounding furniture, and décor
• One-quarter of all Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems, so when stringing your tree with lights make sure there are no worn-out cords or loose bulbs (you should also unplug the lights before going to bed or leaving the house)
• Water your tree regularly – a tree will consume a lot of water and it is one of the best ways to prevent problems
• Dispose of your tree after Christmas – while you might want to hold on to that holiday spirit for as long as you can, your tree will likely be very dry once Christmas has passed (dry trees are more likely to burn than fresh ones and will burn much quicker