(Image Credit: CFJC News)

By Sydney Chisholm

Fire Safety

Kamloops Fire Rescue warns of fire hazards introduced by Christmas trees, space heaters during winter

Dec 6, 2022 | 5:02 PM

KAMLOOPS — O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how flammable are thy branches…

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also very flammable.

As the holidays approach, Kamloops Fire Rescue is urging caution around many festivities known to start fires.

Jamie Chase, KFR life safety educator, says fire prevention starts when picking out your Christmas tree. A healthy tree will have lush needles that stay intact when touched.

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But even if you take home a healthy tree, paying attention to the health of and caring for your tree can prevent a devastating fire.

“We don’t get very many Christmas tree fires, but when one does light, it’s quite spectacular,” Chase told CFJC News. “And it will cause a lot of damage in a short amount of time.”

Before setting up your new tree, Chase suggests cutting off one to two inches from the base of the tree and placing it in water immediately.

Top up the water daily to prevent the tree from drying out — but even then, a live tree will only last so long.

“If you’re someone who likes to put their tree up on November 12 and leave it up until after New Year’s, a live tree is maybe not a good choice because that’s a long time for the tree to be in the house and it will get very dry,” he said.

Despite more calls to KFR during the holidays, Christmas trees are rarely the culprit. According to Chase, cooking, smoking materials and portable heaters are most often the cause of fire.

Chase says both cooking and smoking materials are the biggest cause of fires year-round, but during the holiday season, more people forget their fire smarts.

When temperatures start to drop, portable heaters are plugged in, and the risk of an electrical fire increases.

“They [portable heaters] draw a lot of electrical currents. They’re designed to be plugged directly into the wall,” Chase explained. “And if someone plugs them into an extension cord, the extension cord or a power bar are what can quickly heat up and catch fire themselves just from the electricity that’s coming through it.”

And finally, if you don’t already have them, smoke detectors should be at the top of your wish list.

“Working smoke alarms are the most important thing we could say about fire safety around this time of year,” Chase said.