The Knoxville Fire Department wants citizens to be aware of general safety reminders if you are displaying either a real or artificial Christmas tree in your home this holiday season. 

With the excitement of displaying a tree in your home to engage in the holiday spirit, also comes some significant risk of fire hazard. According to the National Fire Protection Association, approximately one tenth of all residential fires in the US involve a Christmas tree.  For live trees, you should always check for freshness before buying, and when buying an artificial tree, you should always look for the fire resistant label. Trees should also be at least three feet away from all heat sources in the home.

When you are displaying lights on the tree you should always discard any lights with worn or broken cords, or that have a loose connection. It is also important to never connect more than three strands of incandescent lights together. If you are displaying a real tree, Knoxville Fire Chief Cal Wyman talked about the importance of keeping it watered.

“If you’re going to have a live tree, the biggest thing is to make sure it stays watered. Once those dry out they can be a significant fire hazard and go up rather quickly.”

Live trees should be watered daily as long as they are in your home.