To keep the holiday safe, keep the water coming
If you have a Christmas tree in your home, be sure to keep the water coming.
To demonstrate the importance of a well-watered tree, a team of fire safety engineers took a Scotch pine, cut two inches off the trunk, and placed it in a stand with a generous water capacity.
After watering the tree regularly for several days they attempted to ignite a branch. An entire matchbook couldn’t get a fire going. They finally had to use a propane torch to get a flame started. But once it caught, they removed the torch and the flame self-extinguished.
In the second part of the experiment, they set a match to a tree that hadn’t been watered daily. It was engulfed in flames within three seconds.
Go! Water!
Source:
“Christmas Tree Fire Hazards” U.S. Fire Administration, usfa.dhs.gov
