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Advocate Editorial Board opinion: A few precautions prevent holiday disaster

  • By the Advocate Editorial Board
  • Originally published November 26, 2012 at 5:24 p.m., updated November 26, 2012 at 5:35 p.m.

Thanksgiving is over and the chaos of Black Friday is past, but the holiday season is far from finished.

Next comes a set of holidays known for beautiful lights and sparkling decorations. As people set up their lights, buy Christmas trees and plan for this year's festivities, we encourage our readers to take steps and make sure this holiday season is both safe and fun.

There have already been a few fires in the past few weeks, and, while they may not be directly related to the holidays in anything other than timing, we realize there are several additional risks during this time of year. This is a time when people pull out countless strings of electrical lights that have been sitting in storage for most of the year and hooking them all together. We put real trees inside our homes and surround them with candles or fill their slowly drying limbs with those same strings of lights.

Thankfully, the United States Fire Administration has many helpful tips on how to keep yourself and your family safe during this holiday season.

One of the main dangers with Christmas is the tree. Many people try to avoid any fire danger by using an artificial tree, but for those who choose to get a natural tree, there are a few things that should be done to keep the tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard. When picking a tree, test the needles. A freshly cut tree should have green needles that are hard to pull back from the branches. You can also test the tree by bouncing the trunk on the ground; the more needles that fall off, the drier the tree. Never place your tree close to a heat source, such as a space heater, fireplace or vent and keep the stand filled with water at all times. Try not to have a tree up for longer than two weeks. Make sure you dispose of the tree properly, either by taking it to a recycling center or having the community brush service pick it up.

The USFA says people should also check their lights before putting them out every year. Look for frayed wiring, bare patches, cracked insulation, excessive kinks or any other problems with light strings before putting them out. Also, be sure not to overload electrical outlets, as this may cause sparking that could ignite a fire.

Another Christmas staple is candles. While these wax decorations lend a beautiful glow to a room, they also present the danger of an open flame, and we encourage residents to keep these USFA tips in mind: Keep lit candles in stable holders placed where they are not likely to be knocked down and at least 12 inches away from anything flammable. Never leave a candle unattended, and never place lit candles in a Christmas tree, whether it's real or fake.

The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and celebration, not loss and grief. We hope our readers will keep these simple suggestions in mind and have a merry Christmas.

This editorial reflects the views of the Victoria Advocate's editorial board.