Are real Christmas trees more of a fire risk than artificial ones?
2 min read · Published
What London Fire Brigade and fire researchers say about real and artificial Christmas trees, and why the water in the stand changes the answer.
A real tree can be more of a fire risk than a modern artificial one, and the fire services say so. London Fire Brigade says modern artificial trees are usually fire retardant or resistant, and a real tree “can be more of a fire hazard” (London Fire Brigade). Electrical Safety First says a real tree “can catch fire a lot quicker than a fire-retardant artificial one” (Electrical Safety First).
Dryness makes a real tree particularly flammable. Watering reduces the risk, but it does not make a tree fireproof.
What the research shows
Fire researchers at NIST, the US standards body, set up two real trees side by side. One had been kept in a stand full of water, and the other had been left to dry out. They used the same flame on both. The watered tree did not catch fire. The dry tree went up (NIST).
NIST says keeping a cut tree watered keeps moisture in the needles and branches. That makes it less likely to ignite, and slows the fire if it does. A slower fire gives you more time to get out.
Artificial trees aren’t fireproof
“Fire retardant” means slower to catch and slower to spread. It does not mean the tree can’t burn. London Fire Brigade suggests checking the packaging, and replacing an older artificial tree if you aren’t sure it’s fire retardant (London Fire Brigade).
The usual cause of a tree fire is the same for both kinds: lights, candles or a heater. In the US, 41% of home Christmas tree fires involve electrical or lighting equipment (NFPA). The lights-off-at-night rule applies to artificial trees as well.
How to keep a real tree on the safe side
- Buy a fresh tree: sticky sap on the trunk, green needles that don’t pull away easily (London Fire Brigade).
- Cut the trunk before it goes in the stand, and keep the stand full every day.
- Keep it away from radiators, fires and candles.
- Use LED lights, and switch them off at night.
- Take it down when it starts to dry out. London Fire Brigade says a real tree is relatively safe for about two weeks, then likely to become more flammable.
If you’re weighing up real against artificial for other reasons, see Real or artificial: which Christmas tree is greener?