DETROIT (WWJ) — Thanksgiving has come and passed and now more and more Metro Detroiters are putting up their Christmas trees every day, whether they’re real or artificial.
As the holiday season kicks into full gear, officials with the Detroit Fire Department are reminding residents of the fire risks posed by Christmas trees — especially real ones.
DFD on Tuesday held a live Christmas tree burn at the Detroit Fire and Emergency Services Regional Training Center on the city’s east side to demonstrate just how quickly a tree can go up in flames and how quickly it can spread.
WWJ Newsradio 950’s Darrylin Horne was there for the demonstration and reported it took mere seconds for the fire to take off.
“It didn’t take much time for that tree to be completely engulfed, which is why firefighters here want to stress that if you do have a natural tree, at the very least to water it at least once a week, but daily is suggested — especially if your tree has lights around it,” Horne reported.
To tell if your tree needs to be watered, firefighters say if the needles feel dry and they fall off when you touch them, you should water the tree immediately.
DFD Cpt. Edward Davis says a Christmas tree fire can spread rapidly and if you breathe in two to three times in a smoke-filled room, you could die.
“If you look at regular firewood or setting wood in your fireplace, you see how fast that can go. And these are extremely flammable when they dry out. They can go up in seconds,” Davis said.
Davis says it’s important to “remain watchful and vigilant” this time of year, especially with an increased number of cooking-related fires and a larger number of candles being lit.
The fire department is giving out free smoke detectors and installing them for Detroit residents. Visit the department's website for more information.