While many people celebrating Christmas use artificial trees, some still like to go the old-fashioned route and use natural trees; and Knoxville Fire Chief Cal Wyman says you should take care when setting one up, to make sure it doesn’t become a fire hazard.
Wyman tells KNIA/KRLS News you should water your tree on a regular basis, remove any debris which may be in it when you decorate, and especially to make sure it’s kept away from anything which could touch off a fire.
“It’s just like everything else; when you place a tree, you want to look at where you’re placing it; is it next to any heat sources,” Wyman says. “Move any space heaters away from it, any type of thing that can be a heat source, especially as it gets drier. As it’s up longer, it has the potential to start a fire.”
He also says as you place your electrical lights, you should look for any broken bulbs, exposed wiring or other worn spots; any of these could produce an electrical short, which will quickly cause flame.
