What to do if your Christmas tree catches fire
3 min read · Published
UK fire service advice on what to do if a Christmas tree catches fire at home: get out, stay out, call 999. Plus how to escape safely and what to tell the operator.
Get everyone out, close doors behind you if it is safe to do so, and call 999 once outside. Don’t try to put the fire out. UK government fire safety advice is “Don’t tackle fires yourself. Leave it to the professionals… get out, stay out and call 999” (GOV.UK).
London Fire Brigade warns that dried-out trees “burn fast and fiercely” (London Fire Brigade). Fetching water or a blanket wastes time you need to get out.
What to do, step by step
- Shout “Fire” and get everyone out. Don’t stop to collect presents, phones or valuables, and don’t go looking for pets (Suffolk Fire and Rescue).
- Close the door to the room on your way out if you can do it safely. A closed door slows the spread of fire and smoke (Prepare).
- Stay low if there’s smoke. The air near the floor is clearer.
- Touch doors with the back of your hand before you open them. If a door is warm, don’t open it, because the fire is on the other side (GOV.UK).
- Call 999 once you are outside. 999 calls are free.
- Don’t go back in for anything or anyone. Tell the fire service if someone is still inside and which room they are in (Suffolk Fire and Rescue).
If you can’t get out
Get everyone into one room, ideally with a window and a phone. Put bedding or towels along the bottom of the door to keep smoke out. Call 999 and follow the operator’s instructions. If safe, open a window to shout for help (GOV.UK).
If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop and roll. Lie down, roll around, and smother the flames with a heavy coat or blanket.
What to tell the 999 operator
Suffolk Fire and Rescue lists what the operator needs (Suffolk Fire and Rescue):
- your full address and any useful landmarks; do not delay the call to find an app
- what kind of building it is, for example a two-storey house or a third-floor flat
- whether anyone is still inside, and which room they are in
How Christmas tree fires start
In the US, the National Fire Protection Association found that 41% of home Christmas tree fires involve electrical or lighting equipment, and 11% involve candles (NFPA). A heat source sets fire to a tree that has dried out.
People also search whether a tree can catch fire “by itself”. We found no fire service or research source describing a cut Christmas tree igniting with no heat source at all. The fires on record start from lights, candles, heaters or another flame.
A watered tree is much harder to light. When NIST exposed a watered tree and a dry tree to the same flame, only the dry one ignited (NIST). Keep the stand full, switch the lights off at night, and take the tree down once it starts to dry out.