Tips for Christmas tree safety

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - Christmas trees are beautiful to look at, but they can be a household hazard. According to the Christmas Tree Association, they result in about 13-million dollars in property damage per year.

So, as you finalize your holiday decorations there are a few things to take into account to make sure they aren’t posing any danger to your home.

When choosing a tree, you want to go for vibrant green needles that are hard to pluck and don’t break easily. Green means the tree is fresh and hydrated.

The tree should not be brown or shedding its needles easily. These initial steps can help you avoid any dryness issues down the road.

Farm manager for Christmas Trees U.S.A., Christal Landry, says they go over safety measures with their customers after every sale.

“Nowhere near any open heat source. At night I recommend unplugging your lights so it doesn’t dry your tree out and potentially cause it to catch fire. Just like I said, make sure it stays watered and no open heat sources. Nowhere near no heaters, open flames or anything like that.”

You should also make sure your tree has a base filled with water to keep it from drying out.

Be conscious of the type of lights you put on your tree and be sure none of the bulbs are damaged.

Finally, when you got to bed at night, be sure to turn your tree lights off.

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