Live Christmas Trees

If your holiday is just not complete without a live tree, the Government of Canada has a few tips to keep the danger at bay.

• Fresh trees are less likely to catch fire, so look for a tree with vibrant green needles that are hard to pluck and don’t break easily from its branches. The tree shouldn’t be shedding its needles readily.

• Always place your tree away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights, and keep the tree base filled with water to avoid a dry out.

• Make sure all your indoor and outdoor Christmas lights have been tested in a lab by the UL or ETL/ITSNA for safety and throw out any damaged lights.

• Any lights you use outdoors must be labeled suitable for exterior placement and be sure to plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter protected receptacle.

• Keep all your holiday candles away from your Christmas tree, surrounding furniture and décor.

• Bedtime means lights off! Don’t forget to turn your Christmas tree lights off each night.