12/8/2009
Syracuse, NY – It’s that time of year again and people are starting to gear up for the holiday season. For many people this means buying a Christmas tree…but not just any tree, a fresh-cut tree.
A Trip to the Farm
At Critz Farms in Cazenovia, families trudged through a Christmas tree field, hoping to find and cut down their own perfect Christmas tree. For people like Denis Branson, a resident of Fayetteville, this year isn’t any different than years past.
“Oh, it’s an annual tradition,” said Branson. “We like doing fresh trees, because that way they stay fresh for a long time,” he said.
Dry Christmas Trees Can Kill
Though cutting down his own Christmas tree is all part of the holiday spirit, Branson acknowledges the risks involved with having a real tree.
“When I was a kid, […] one year two people that my father knew were killed in a Christmas tree fire,” Branson said. After that, his father bought fake trees.
And killer Christmas tree fires are exactly what Captain Tom Erwin of the Syracuse Fire Department hopes to keep at bay. Though Syracuse hasn’t seen a devastating Christmas tree fire in the last two years, Erwin said, it’s important not to get complacent.
“[People] don’t understand the power of a fire as a whole and they certainly don’t understand the power of a fire this time of year in a dried Christmas tree,” said Erwin. “I think it’s easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays,” he concluded.
Being Safe This Season
Erwin suggests keeping the tree watered, because if it gets dry, a festive holiday could quickly take a turn for the worst.
“When they’re fresh cut, they tend to […] withstand a little bit of spark before it turns into an inferno,” said Erwin. “It literally takes only 30 seconds or less,” he added.
Erwin also says that using thicker wired Christmas lights and plugging them into a heavy duty surge protector will lessen the risk of a fire.
Fire Risk Shouldn’t Dampen Holiday Cheer
Back at Critz Farms, Branson isn't letting the potential danger ruin his holiday fun. He now keeps an extinguisher nearby and takes steps to make sure his Christmas stays safe.
If you ask Branson, it’s all about good judgment: “ It just takes common sense. Life is not without risk; and as long as you manage risk, the smell and the season, and the enjoyment of hunting for the tree is worth it.”
A Christmas tree fire Public Service Announcement from the National Institute of Standards and Technology:
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