Marc Mezzacca, Consumer Savings Expert at CouponFollow, said: “When a Christmas tree burns, particularly when it’s dried out, it can go up in flames in moments, and it will spread very quickly releasing dangerous gas into your home.
“People have such a small window of time to escape safely, so you should take all precautions necessary to make sure this doesn’t happen.
“If you’re ever in the unfortunate situation that your Christmas tree has caught fire, you could immediately evacuate the home and call 999.”
1. Keep your tree away from candles and open flames
The “number one rule” when it comes to keeping a real Christmas tree in the home is to make sure it’s not placed near any open flames.
This includes fireplaces, candles or even smoking as the smallest flame or hot ash can cause a tree to catch fire.
This is particularly important as many people will have candles burning at this time of year as well as any open fires.
2. Soak the trunk in water
Once the Christmas tree is home, put it in a sturdy stand filled with at least half a litre of water.
Keep it watered throughout the season as trees can drink a lot of water in the first 24 hours after being cut.
The expert said: “Not only will this make your Christmas tree last longer, but it will also stop it from drying out so quickly. When a Christmas tree becomes dry, they’re more flammable and there’s a higher chance of something going wrong.”
3. Keep your tree away from electrics
Although this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have lights on a tree, the expert recommended being careful how you use them.
Marc explained: “Never leave electric lights on when you’re away or overnight as this can cause them to heat up or malfunction.
“Store your Christmas lights correctly to avoid any fraying or damage. Finally, make sure your extension cords are in good shape and don’t have too many electronics plugged into them.”
4. Keep your tree away from heat sources
Keep trees away from heat sources such as heaters and radiators because they will dry trees out.
Once they are dried out, they become much more flammable and even the smallest ignition can see a whole tree go up in flames in “seconds”, according to the pro.
Christmas trees should be placed in an unobstructed area of the home, at least three feet away from any heat source.
5. Buy a fresh tree
The expert noted: “When purchasing a Christmas tree, you should look for ones with green needles that look fresh.
“If you run your hand through the tree and the needles are already starting to fall, this is a sign that the tree is older and becoming fried out which can be a higher risk.”
