Avoiding holiday horrors: Milwaukee Fire Dept. shares fire safety tips for Christmas trees

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Fire Department typically sees a spike in fires during cold weather, sometimes due to electrical issues and other heat sources.

However, another potential hazard you need to be aware of is your Christmas tree.

On average, fire departments across the nation respond to more than 150 fires involving Christmas trees every year.

MFD held a demonstration at their training facility on Friday, Dec. 6, to show quickly a small flame can engulf a Christmas tree, and eventually an entire room.

"Once that tree starts going, it throws off so much heat so fast, and it spreads to fast," said Chief Aaron Lipski.

Milwaukee Fire Department responds to handful of calls a year due to Christmas trees, especially real ones.   

"They are a fir type tree, heavy laden with sap, which acts a lot like fuel once it warms up," Lipski explained.

The demonstration also showed how the flames spread in a room with sprinklers versus a room without them.

"Many years ago, it was only for big industrial factories, those type of things. Now most of our apartment buildings are being built with them," said Steve Howard, the state coordinator for the National Fire Sprinkler Association.

Whether you have sprinklers or not, MFD is sharing Christmas tree safety tips.

1. Find one with fresh, green needles.

"You should be able to touch it, and it should spring back," Lipski said.

2. Cut a couple inches off the trunk and always keep it in water.

"So, when you set it in the water, it can begin drawing water and hydrate itself," Lipski explained.

3. Keep it away from live flames and heat.

"In a room with fireplaces, keep it well away from that. Keep it away from where the heat comes out if you have forced air," Lipski said.

Perhaps the most important safety tip: always have a working smoke alarm.

If you need one, the Milwaukee Fire Department will bring and install them for free.

"We want people to be safe over the holidays and not have this festive time turn tragic," Howard said.