Christmas tree fire safety: how to keep a real tree safe
4 min read · Published
How real Christmas trees catch fire, why a watered tree is far safer than a dry one, and the UK fire service advice on placing, lighting and getting rid of your tree.
Christmas tree fires are rare, but a dry tree burns very fast. London Fire Brigade says “Dried out Christmas trees burn fast and fiercely” (London Fire Brigade). Most of the risk comes from three things you control: how much water the tree gets, where you put it, and what you plug in near it.
How often do Christmas trees catch fire?
The most detailed figures come from the US. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) counts an average of 155 home fires a year that start with a Christmas tree. Its figures cover 2018 to 2022 (NFPA). The US research body NIST gives a higher figure of 210 home fires a year “involving” a tree, on a page first published in 2017 (NIST). The two counts use different years of data. The NFPA says 41% of these fires involve electrical or lighting equipment and 11% involve candles.
The UK publishes far less detail on tree fires specifically. UK fire services do say that fires are 53% more likely on Christmas Day than on an average day (Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue).
Water is the biggest safety step
NIST set fire to two trees under the same conditions. One had been kept in a stand full of water, and the other had dried out. The watered tree did not ignite. The dry tree did (NIST).
Everything that keeps a tree fresh also makes it safer.
- Buy a fresh tree. London Fire Brigade says to look for a trunk that is sticky with sap, green needles, and needles that don’t come away easily (London Fire Brigade).
- Cut the trunk before it goes in the stand. NIST says a dried cut surface reduces how much water the tree can take up (NIST).
- Check the water every day. A tree can drink up to two pints a day (London Fire Brigade). Electrical Safety First says up to a litre (Electrical Safety First). Those figures are about the same.
There’s more detail in How to keep a real Christmas tree fresh for a month.
Where to put the tree
London Fire Brigade recommends a spot that is (London Fire Brigade):
- away from fireplaces, radiators, heaters and heat vents
- away from candles and cigarettes
- in a sturdy stand that children or pets can’t knock over
- clear of any route out of the room or the house
The NFPA uses a distance of at least 1 metre (3 feet) from any heat source (NFPA). In a Brighton terrace or flat that can be hard. If it is, turn down or switch off the nearest radiator rather than standing the tree against it.
Lights
- Use LED lights. They run cooler than old filament bulbs (London Fire Brigade).
- Check last year’s lights for loose wires, broken bulbs or damaged cable before they go on.
- Buy new lights from a reputable seller with a CE or UKCA mark.
- Don’t let paper or fabric decorations touch the bulbs.
- Don’t overload sockets or plug extension leads into each other.
- Switch the lights off and unplug them before bed (GOV.UK).
More in Can I leave Christmas tree lights on overnight?
Candles
Never put lit candles on or near a tree (GOV.UK). For the candlelit look, use battery candles.
After Christmas
London Fire Brigade says a real tree remains “relatively safe for about two weeks” before it is likely to become more flammable (London Fire Brigade). NIST notes that none of the ten days with the most US tree fires falls before Christmas (NIST). Take the tree down once it’s shedding heavily. Don’t store it against the house or in a garage while you wait for collection.
Smoke alarms
GOV.UK advises testing smoke alarms at least once a month (GOV.UK). If the tree is in the living room, make sure there is a working alarm in the hall outside it.