Michigan Fire Marshal Offers Safety Tips During the Holidays
Dried-out needles are a sign your tree is drying out, which is a potential hazard.
Michigan safety officials are warning residents about at-home fire risks over the holiday season.
State fire marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer says dried-out Christmas trees are a potential hazard. He says keeping trees watered is key to making them last through New Year’s Day.
“If your tree is losing a lot of needles, that tree is definitely drying out and that’s a decision you’ll have to make of how soon after Christmas that you would take that tree down,” Sehlmeyer says.
Families should avoid placing candles around natural holiday decorations such as pine branches or pinecones, he says.
“There’s a lot of really good alternatives out there for LED candles that run on a battery. Those would be things I would try to pair up with the Christmas decorations to help prevent a fire.”
Sehlmeyer recommends having a smoke detector on every floor of a home and in every room where people sleep.
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