Here are some great holiday safety tips from our friends at the Calgary Fire Service regarding Christmas trees:
- Get a freshly cut tree. It stays green longer and is less of a fire hazard
- Consider an artificial tree, they don’t smell as nice, but they are a lot safer
- Always test for freshness before buying. A tree with high moisture content is safer. Very few needles should fall when the butt of the tree is tapped on the ground. Needles should bend, not break, and the stump should be sticky with resin.
- Use a tree stand with a broad base for better balance and a large water reservoir to immerse the tree butt. Make sure the base of the tree is always in water
- Do not set up your tree near a heat source such as a radiator, TV, fireplace or heating duct
- Never use lit candles on a tree
- After the holidays, properly dispose of trees as soon as possible.