Firefighters burn Christmas tree to demonstrate fire hazard

JACKSON, Tenn. — Madison County firefighters lit a live Christmas tree on fire Friday to show how quickly the flames can spread.

Within seconds, the fire moved to the ceiling, engulfed the presents and burned a nearby chair.

“We’re not talking minutes,” Fire Marshal Don Friddle with the Madison County Fire Department said. “We’re talking seconds.”

Friddle said they see more live Christmas tree fires between Dec. 25 and New Year’s. “Christmas is over with, so the focus is not so much on keeping the tree pretty as it once was,” he said.

Friddle said if your Christmas tree dries out, get rid of it. “The longer that they’re not maintained, the higher the fire hazard is,” he said.

Firefighters said artificial trees are safer because they have to meet certain fire regulations. To help reduce the fire risk with a dry tree, Friddle said to leave the lights off. “Make sure that there is no open flames nowhere around the tree,” he said.

Friddle said to keep trees away from fireplaces. He cautioned not to throw used wrapping paper in the fireplace to get rid of it but to put it in the trash instead.