What is the risk of a Christmas tree fire?

[Bootsie]

I want to know how much those researchers got paid. Seems like a cushy job... ;)

And who paid for this research.  

 

There is a great deal of evidence that we misjudge risk in our everyday lives.  This leads to everything from poor investment decisions to product safety laws which are counterproductive.  I think one should be prudent when it comes to fire safety, but we must also be realistic about what the real risks are.

[underthebridge]

And who paid for this research.

 

There is a great deal of evidence that we misjudge risk in our everyday lives. This leads to everything from poor investment decisions to product safety laws which are counterproductive. I think one should be prudent when it comes to fire safety, but we must also be realistic about what the real risks are.

Completely agree with this. If 1 in 34 tree fires result in a death, 200 tree fires would result in 5-6 deaths per year. In the entire US. I would guess you are 50-100 times more likely to die from a space heater fire. Tree fires are worth mentioning, sure, but I would expect the fire department should inform you about the most common causes of fire.

[BarbecueMom]

I want to hear more about the 50 trees that are intentionally set on fire.  WHO DOES THAT????

 

"Lewis!  My tree!  Look at what you've done to my tree!"

 

"It was an ugly tree anyway."  "At least it's out of its misery."

[Annie G]

"Lewis!  My tree!  Look at what you've done to my tree!"

 

"It was an ugly tree anyway."  "At least it's out of its misery."

Haha! But to be fair, Uncle Lewis didn't intentionally set the tree on fire.  He was helped when Snotz drank the water. 

[creekland]

http://www.nfpa.org//-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics/Fact-sheets/ChristmasTreeFactSheet.pdf

 

One out of every 34 tree fires results in a death. One out of 142 home fires results in a death. OP, perhaps they were actually trying to impart some info. I damn sure know they’d rather be chided for sending “alarming†emails than carrying out your dead child after extinguishing t an Xmas tree fire. The same goes for any “alarming†emails sent informing citizens of fires caused by room-heaters or faulty chimneys. If it saves one life....

 

My computer won't open your link.  Does it state how many of those deaths are from the intentionally set tree fires vs the accidental ones?  It seems to me if folks are going to purposely set their trees on fire, some might be planning on either ending this life themselves or killing someone else with the fire and hoping it looks like an accident instead of murder.

 

Overall, I suspect far more people die in any given month from accidents caused by texting and driving - with or without fires caused by the crash.

[BarbecueMom]

Haha! But to be fair, Uncle Lewis didn't intentionally set the tree on fire.  He was helped when Snotz drank the water. 

 

That's true.  Also, I never could tell if Eddie's chemical toilet fumes also helped things along.

[EKS]

Does anyone remember the old style big-bulb Christmas tree lights?  They would get really hot!

 

Also, my parents' good friends were from Germany, and actually put candles on their tree each year.  They had holders that clipped to the branches, and they lit the candles each evening.  It was beautiful, but kind of freaky.

[Bootsie]

 

Also, my parents' good friends were from Germany, and actually put candles on their tree each year.  They had holders that clipped to the branches, and they lit the candles each evening.  It was beautiful, but kind of freaky.

Several years ago we were in Austria for Christmas.  I was admiring all of the trees with real candles (and even sparklers).  At the same time, I was horrified, given everything I had heard about dangers of fires of real trees and candles.

 

Then, the fire brigade ran into our apartment in full gear--axes and all--yelling at us in German on Christmas morning.  We had no tree, candles, or other decorations.  I was frying bacon for a good Christmas breakfast and the smoke had set off the smoke alarm in the building!   It did turn out to be one of my family's most memorable Christmas mornings.

[regentrude]

Also, my parents' good friends were from Germany, and actually put candles on their tree each year.  They had holders that clipped to the branches, and they lit the candles each evening.  It was beautiful, but kind of freaky.

 

We've always done that back home, and my parents have been doing it for 70+ years. Never a fire - you just have to be careful and not leave the candles unattended.

But it only works if the trees have not been cut to achieve that cone shape during growth, but are left to spread branches that have a distance to the next layer, so won't work on the trees I can buy here, sadly.

 

[Miss Tick]

I think the "intentional" fires may be people thinking they will just burn the tree in the fireplace after the holiday? Big mistake! Don't do it! Burns fast and hit and then costs the chimney with sap residue that can be reignited with a later fire.

[eternalsummer]

http://www.nfpa.org//-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics/Fact-sheets/ChristmasTreeFactSheet.pdf

 

One out of every 34 tree fires results in a death. One out of 142 home fires results in a death. OP, perhaps they were actually trying to impart some info. I damn sure know they’d rather be chided for sending “alarming†emails than carrying out your dead child after extinguishing t an Xmas tree fire. The same goes for any “alarming†emails sent informing citizens of fires caused by room-heaters or faulty chimneys. If it saves one life....

 

But if everyone who had some interest in the topic did this for every semi-preventable type of accident that caused something like 5 deaths a year in the US, you'd get 50 emails a day (okay, I didn't do the math, but I bet it's a ton)

[Annie G]

I think the "intentional" fires may be people thinking they will just burn the tree in the fireplace after the holiday? Big mistake! Don't do it! Burns fast and hit and then costs the chimney with sap residue that can be reignited with a later fire.

 

That's just crazy. So they cut the tree up in their living room and shove it into the fireplace? How is that easier than dragging outside and lighting it? 

 

There must be alcohol involved in this scenario. 

 

ETA: As I was writing the above, I'm looking at our Christmas tree and then looking at the fireplace. Over and over. And my face has this puzzled expression.  Dh just asked what in the world was I thinking about. Ha!

Edited December 14, 2017 by Annie G

[underthebridge]

Perhaps the “intentional†fires are set by kids or grownups with poor judgement who are playing with candles or matches near the tree? I could see a mischievous kid hold up a candle to a tree branch to see if it will light.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I was just cautioning dd about her space heater.  And I came home to find that I had left a cast iron pan on the stove for over 2 hours.  :svengo: Fortunately no fires resulted from my carelessness.  

Edited December 14, 2017 by Jean in Newcastle

[Ausmumof3]

http://www.nfpa.org//-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics/Fact-sheets/ChristmasTreeFactSheet.pdf

 

One out of every 34 tree fires results in a death. One out of 142 home fires results in a death. OP, perhaps they were actually trying to impart some info. I damn sure know they’d rather be chided for sending “alarming†emails than carrying out your dead child after extinguishing t an Xmas tree fire. The same goes for any “alarming†emails sent informing citizens of fires caused by room-heaters or faulty chimneys. If it saves one life....

Can't like this enough. Yes it might be statistically small. But if it's basically preventable with a bit of care let's make it a bit smaller. I'm pretty sure once you've found a dead body In a burned house, your tolerance for preventable risk is pretty much nil.

[Bootsie]

Given that many of the rare, unintentional tree fires are due to electrical issues with faulty wiring and plugs, maybe the old-fashioned way of lighting the tree with candles was much safer

[underthebridge]

Given that many of the rare, unintentional tree fires are due to electrical issues with faulty wiring and plugs, maybe the old-fashioned way of lighting the tree with candles was much safer

The candles were such an issue that insurance companies refused to cover them. I can’t believe I know so much about Christmas lights now.

 

http://mentalfloss.com/article/26585/brief-history-christmas-tree-lights

[Bootsie]

Hmm.  The more I think about it, the more complex the idea of whether electric lights or candles on a tree are safer is. 

 

 At first, the obvious answer--and what I was taught in the US all my life was electric lights.  But, electrical wiring issues can lead to a tree catching on fire.  People can be electrocuted handling lights.  Extension cords are dangerous.  There are risks in the generation of electricity.  What about the millions of pounds of discarded lights that are shipped off to China for recycling.  What are the health risks associated with that?   

[luuknam]

Hmm.  The more I think about it, the more complex the idea of whether electric lights or candles on a tree are safer is. 

 

 At first, the obvious answer--and what I was taught in the US all my life was electric lights.  But, electrical wiring issues can lead to a tree catching on fire.  People can be electrocuted handling lights.  Extension cords are dangerous.  There are risks in the generation of electricity.  What about the millions of pounds of discarded lights that are shipped off to China for recycling.  What are the health risks associated with that?   

 

 

Yes, but what about the CO2 emissions of candles? 

[Laura Corin]

We've always done that back home, and my parents have been doing it for 70+ years. Never a fire - you just have to be careful and not leave the candles unattended.

But it only works if the trees have not been cut to achieve that cone shape during growth, but are left to spread branches that have a distance to the next layer, so won't work on the trees I can buy here, sadly.

 

 

That's what we did in the UK when I was a child.  The tree was fresh (bought on Christmas eve) and the branches were spreading (I still buy a natural tree now, even though I use electric lights - I haven't seen trimmed ones here).  The candles were carefully positioned.  Once they were lit we sat and stared at the tree for an hour. 

 

It's not like putting lights on for the day and going about your business.

[Laura Corin]

DP

Edited December 14, 2017 by Laura Corin

[Bootsie]

Yes, but what about the CO2 emissions of candles? 

Yes, as I said the more I think about it, the more complicated the equation becomes.  My dad was an environmental scientist and we would often have these types of discussions--what on the surface may seem like the most environmentally friendly, safe, healthy choice may not be such an obvious answer when you really look at all of the factors.

[Bluegoat]

I think the intentional fires are probably in back-yards.  I think they probably count any time the fire department gets called out, and that could be for an outside fire that gets bigger than it should, lights up a shed, or even if you just have annoying neighbours who don't like outside fires.

[Bootsie]

I think the intentional fires are probably in back-yards.  I think they probably count any time the fire department gets called out, and that could be for an outside fire that gets bigger than it should, lights up a shed, or even if you just have annoying neighbours who don't like outside fires.

The report says that it is for home structure fires

[Bluegoat]

The report says that it is for home structure fires

 

Hmm.  Some at least might start outside, and they catch the house on fire.

 

The fireplace thing might be a possibility too, especially if it includes chimney fires.

[Bootsie]

Hmm.  Some at least might start outside, and they catch the house on fire.

 

The fireplace thing might be a possibility too, especially if it includes chimney fires.

Yes, because it is only, on average 50 per year, in the entire United States, it would be hard to come up with any statistically significant reasons.

[luuknam]

Yes, as I said the more I think about it, the more complicated the equation becomes.  My dad was an environmental scientist and we would often have these types of discussions--what on the surface may seem like the most environmentally friendly, safe, healthy choice may not be such an obvious answer when you really look at all of the factors.

 

 

Realistically, no lights would be the best option, but given the presumably vastly bigger risk of fires from candles (a PP mentioned, insurance companies quit covering tree candle fires?), and the presumed destruction of all sorts of environmentally bad things in those fires (random things made out of plastic around the house, etc), odds are electric lights would still win the "safest overall" award. 

 

Either way, it's nice to be able to just have the lights on without having to paranoidly stare at them the entire time.