How to Prevent Holiday Fires

Steps for Preventing Holiday Fires:

Candle fires peak in December at three times the rate of any other month, according to data shared during the This Old House team’s visit to UL Laboratories. As Kevin O’Connor noted, the two biggest holiday fire culprits are unattended candles—often set on a holiday dinner table—and dried-out Christmas trees. Beyond blowing candles out when you leave the room, avoid placing lit candles in windows where they can ignite curtains and blinds, and keep them out of teenagers’ bedrooms.

1. Always blow out candles when you leave the room.
2. If a decorative candle starts a fire, there may be time to put it out with a fire extinguisher. If the room catches fire, get out and call 911.
3. If you have a real Christmas tree, keep it watered and away from heat sources. It will only last for about 4 weeks and needs to be removed after that.
4. Before purchasing an artificial tree, check to see if it’s been UL tested to withstand fire. Keep it away from heat sources.
5. If your Christmas tree catches fire, do not attempt to put it out. Get out immediately and call 911.

Pro Tip: When the Ask This Old House team visited UL Laboratories outside Chicago to test holiday fire scenarios, they witnessed a dry Christmas tree become a full-blown inferno in roughly 45 seconds. The takeaway: when you bring your tree home, cut an inch or two off the base so it absorbs water more readily, then keep it watered through the entire holiday season.

Resources:

The UL-rated artificial tree Kevin saw can be found at most department stores.

Expert assistance for this segment was provided by UL Laboratories.

Pro Tip: During Kevin’s visit to UL Laboratories outside Chicago, fire safety experts demonstrated that a dried-out Christmas tree can be almost completely consumed in roughly 45 seconds—and in an enclosed room, the fire reaches “flash over” even faster, meaning life is not sustainable in that space. Their advice: keep live trees well watered, cut an inch or two off the base when you bring it home to help it absorb water, and remember that even a well-watered tree only lasts about four weeks before it becomes a serious fire hazard.