Water your tree – seriously, go water it now
Merry and Bright (and Wet)
I know you’re busy today. You have a thousand things to do. But please, stop right now and water your tree.
Seriously. Go water it.
Because a frequently watered tree is a very low fire hazard.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology made a video you don’t want to see. It shows how fast a dry tree can turn a room into a blazing inferno. It’s pretty scary.
In just three seconds the Scotch pine is engulfed in flames. Less than one minute later the room is a conflagration.
But let’s not dwell on that scene.
Here’s how you want it to go. The NIST fire safety engineers took a second Scotch pine, cut two inches from the bottom of the trunk, and placed it in a stand with a 7.6-liter water capacity. After watering the tree daily for several days they attempted to ignite the tree. A single match wouldn’t get a fire going. Even an entire matchbook didn’t set off a blaze.
They finally had to use a propane torch to set fire to the tree. Once the fire began, they withdrew the torch and the flame self-extinguished.
It couldn’t be simpler: A wet tree is a safe tree. So keep the water coming and have a very happy and safe Christmas.
To Your Good Health, and best wishes for a Merry Christmas from all of us at HSI,
Jenny Thompson
Source:
“Christmas Tree Fire Hazards” U.S. Fire Administration, usfa.dhs.gov
