Fire officials warn of being careful during the holidays
Morgan Hill – Think you’re prepared for the holidays? You already purchased the Christmas tree. You’ve got the Christmas lights, the extra extension cords, the stockings hung by the fire with care, all the way down to the holly berry wrapping paper and cinnamon candles. You’ve also got one heck of a fire hazard.
“An average 6-foot Christmas tree, if it catches fire, is about a Megawatt (of energy) which makes for a really ugly fire, really fast,” said Steve Espe, fire prevention bureau chief with the South County California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The contents of the room could be lost in less than a minute, he added.
Just because fire season is officially over, and the first rains of the season have already accumulated – it doesn’t mean there isn’t a danger of fire.
“All the gifts wrapped up, the stockings hung by the fireplace with care – all of a sudden we’ve trucked in more fuel,” he said. “These are the things people need to be aware of.”
Espe has a few tips for keeping the holidays safe this season.
“Keep the trees wet. Don’t keep the tree around longer than you have to,” he advised. “I’m a little iffy about the day after Thanksgiving to New Year’s (time frame).”
Each day the tree is in the house, the needles are getting drier and while you may not want to let the holidays go – consider the irony of the whole concept.
“You’re hanging electrical lights on something that’s flammable,” Espe said.
Roasting chestnuts might sound like a cozy way to get into the festive spirit – but make sure you clean out your chimney annually and get it checked by a licensed inspector.
“We just had a 6,000-square-foot home that we lost a good chunk of the attic (Nov. 23) – it was most likely a faulty flue,” Espe said.
Also, remember to keep screens in front of the fireplace. They help prevent red-hot embers from igniting nearby carpets.
Always burn candles with caution. They are a nice decoration – but not in the middle of brush on a wooden table. Don’t let them become a hazard.
Other common errors people make during the winter is they overload circuits by adding more hooks ups.
Be wary of anything that produces heat such as curling irons, dryers, and space heaters.
If it creates heat – it can cause a fire.
Families should create an evacuation plan and become familiar with it. Know where to meet in case of a fire and how to get in contact with one another.
And as always, check your smoke detectors.
“If you didn’t get it done when the clocks fall back, then get it done now,” Espe said.
