KAMLOOPS — Christmas is one week away.
Most people have already trimmed the tree and strung their lights. Some have begun their Christmas baking.
While these activities bring joy to many, there are associated risks if not enacted safely.
The Christmas tree is the centrepiece of many homes during the holiday season. But, if it’s not properly cared for, it can become a hazard.
Proper care for real trees begins with selection.
“First thing you want to do is go up to the tree and take the needle and bend the needle,” said Maury Hik, owner of Art Knapp. “The needle should actually bend quite easily, literally bend right over without breaking. If you go and pull a needle and it snaps in half, then you know that it’s a little bit on the drier side.”
Trees should be kept well watered and a safe distance from heat sources.
“Know where your heating ducts are, know where your fireplace is,” Hik said. “We still have some good traditional German people that actually put real candles on the tree, I have this vision of just sitting there with the fire extinguisher, you know, ready to put it out.”
There are also some things to consider before stringing lights, whether on the tree or on the house.
“Most importantly they have to know that indoor and outdoor is a different light,” said Michael Holbrook, who works in Home Hardware’s electrical department. “Some are rated for indoor and outdoor both, some folks will use indoor rated lights outside and that’s a safety hazard, they’re not designed to take the weather and even the cold, let alone the wet.”
Holbrook says that while LED lights are safer than the old incandescent bulbs, they still require care.
“The light cord itself, if it’s over-powered, can get hot and that’s where you could have a fire, and not just in a real tree but in an artificial tree as well,” Holbrook said.
According to Kamloops Fire Rescue’s Life Safety Educator Lyle Weninger, the most common cause of fire over the holidays is cooking.
“Make sure you’re staying in the kitchen while you’re cooking,” he said. “It’s easy to get distracted with kids and company and everything, but unattended cooking is still our number one cause of fire.”
