SANTI, California. The holidays are here in Santi,,: your family has probably already made one of the most difficult decisions of the season – to buy a real or artificial Christmas tree.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, 30 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States each year. While some prefer real trees to be a renewable, recyclable resource, others often consider the real tree a “simple pleasure” during the holiday season.
When buying a real Christmas tree, there are some disadvantages or not. Most consumers can expect to pay a little more for one this year, about 5-10%, due to weather problems and higher shipping costs.
Also, if you are not careful or take the necessary precautions, your real Christmas tree, as well as your family memories, may catch fire.
U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 160 Christmas tree fires each year from 2015 to 2019, the latest data available National Fire Protection Association. The fires caused two deaths and more than a dozen injuries, with direct property damage of more than $ 10 million.
Many people who choose the real tree either cut it down themselves or buy a lot of pre-cut ones. Buying a real tree requires extra care so that the trees do not dry out and become fuel for a deadly house fire.
And it takes very little time for a fire to become deadly.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission conducted a live Christmas tree burn to show how quickly Christmas tree fires burn when the needles become brittle when submerged.
The trees can be completely absorbed in a few seconds, and then ignite everything in the path of fire. For comparison, the electric fire that broke out during the demonstration on a well-watered tree did not spread at all.
Here are some other quick facts about Christmas tree fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
- Electrical or lighting equipment is responsible for almost half of the Christmas tree fires.
- More than one-fifth of Christmas tree fires occurred because the tree was too close to a heat source.
- 1 in 5 of the Christmas tree fires was intentional. They were usually set in January.
- More than 2 fires broke out in the living room out of every 5 Christmas trees.
- Artificial trees are not fully insured against fire. If you have a fake tree, you still need to be careful not to place it near a heat source և use appropriate lighting according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
You can prevent Christmas tree fires by taking some extra safety precautions recommended by the National Fire Protection Association.
Tree picking
- Choose one with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.
Tree placement
- Before placing the tree in the booth, cut 2 inches from the base of the stem.
- Make sure the tree is at least 3 feet away from any heat source, including fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat fans, or lights.
- Make sure the tree does not block the exit.
- Add water to the tree trunk. Be sure to add water every day.
Tree lighting