Can Christmas tree catch fire? (2023)

How a Christmas tree catches fire?

About 25% of Christmas tree fires are the result of electrical problems or heat sources — including electric lights, fireplaces, radiators, and candles — kept too close to the tree. Additionally, about half of holiday decoration fires occur because decorations are placed too close to a heat source.

Christmas trees…

If the tree has been freshly cut the needles should be hard to pull back from the branches and should not break. If they do, it has probably been cut down too long ago and dried out – making it a fire hazard.

Real fir trees in the home can easily set alight by accident by faulty decorations or candles which are placed too close. The footage comes from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from the US, but it highlights the dangers of putting up a real Christmas tree in homes worldwide.

While personal preference is a primary factor for choosing a type of holiday tree, recent research by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) shows that a pre-lit artificial tree can be as much of a fire hazard as a dry natural tree.

Fires that begin with the ignition of Christmas trees are a very small but notable part of the US fire problem. These fires account for less than 0.1 percent of reported home fires, 0.1 percent of home fire deaths and injuries, and 0.2 percent of direct property damage resulting from home fires.

According to tradition, a Christmas tree should be kept up until 12 nights after Christmas. In the Christian religion, the Christmas season ends on the Epiphany, which is celebrated on January 6.

Keep candles away from the tree.

In a quarter of Christmas tree fires reported by the National Fire Protection Association, a candle or other heat source was too close to the tree and caused the fire.

Don't leave lights plugged in

Your Christmas tree lights! Just as you would flip off the kitchen light before bed, do the same to the tree. Even an artificial tree can catch fire as a result of tree lights. Christmas lights can get hot, and in some instances, start fires.

Fire risks are present when using an artificial tree due to the electrical component of lights built into an artificial tree. Because of this, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends always turning off Christmas tree lights of any kind "before leaving home or going to bed."

Can leaving Christmas lights on cause a fire?

Christmas lights are always festive and help get everyone into the holiday spirit but they can also be a fire hazard. and trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house. Lights could short and start a fire.

Holiday Safety Facts:

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), approximately one tenth of one percent (0.12%) of residential fires involve a Christmas Tree -- both real and artificial. At NO time can a Real Christmas Tree START or CAUSE a fire. Christmas Trees do not spontaneously combust.

(WVLT) - How long does it take for a dry Christmas tree to catch fire? “In this video we see, when introduced to a small heat source, it takes less than one minute for the tree, and everything around it to by engulfed by flames,” a spokesperson for the department said.

It is recommended that homeowners dispose of a live tree shortly after the holidays, before it gets too dry, and turn off Christmas tree lights at night or when leaving the home.

Never leave a burning candle unattended, and always unplug tree lights before you leave the house or go to bed. If your Christmas tree catches fire, call 911. Even if you extinguish the blaze, it's best to have professional firefighters assess the situation and make sure it's safe.

A healthy, fresh-cut Christmas tree will last for four to five weeks if properly cared for. If you're itching to put up your holiday decorations earlier, start with non-living decorations whenever you like, and finish off with fresh greenery and your Christmas tree around the first of December.

If Christmas lights are left on for too long, they can get hot and become a fire hazard. For this reason, turn your lights off when you go to sleep or leave your home, says Sharon Cooksey, fire safety educator at Kidde.

It's OK to keep the lights on all night, as long as you're not disturbing any neighbors. But to save power, consider putting your lights on a timer. Blow-up decorations are always fun for kids, but be careful where you place them in your yard. Take care not to black anyone's visibility of the road or their driveway.

Despite the promise of reduced fire risk and a softer touch, some consumer and environmental rights advocates insist that artificial Christmas trees are not a truly safe, risk-proof option. They warn that artificial Christmas trees pose health risks for consumers because of the chemicals added to PVC during production.

A live Christmas tree burn conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows just how quickly a dried out Christmas tree fire burns, with flashover occurring in less than one minute, as compared to a well-watered tree, which burns at a much slower rate.

Why do Christmas tree lights catch fire?

A blown bulb in a mains-powered traditional set of lights causes the other lights to burn hotter. Now, imagine the effect of a super-hot bulb on a real Christmas tree that has been drying out since you placed it in the house weeks before. It's a fir-tree-fueled fire waiting to happen.

The most common cause of holiday decoration fires: candles. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, December is the peak month for candle fires and Christmas is the peak day.

If Christmas lights are left on for too long, they can get hot and become a fire hazard. For this reason, turn your lights off when you go to sleep or leave your home, says Sharon Cooksey, fire safety educator at Kidde.

In short, no. You should never leave your Christmas tree on overnight, or when you're not at home. The National Fire Protection Association has a bounty of information and statistics about holiday decorations and fire hazards, because, well, Christmas tree-related fires are so relatively common and so preventible.

Unfortunately, the risk of fire means that it is not safe to leave a Christmas tree on overnight. The cause of 1 in every 4 home Christmas tree fires stems from electrical problems, the NFPA reported.

You can take them down anytime after New Year's Day, but before January 6^th—that's Three Kings Day and the last of the 12 days of Christmas. Even if your lights celebrate a different faith this holiday season, the Black-Friday-to-Three-Kings-Day window is still a great guideline.