Fire Chief: Avoid Holiday Fires

southhavenfiredepartment-5
southhavenfiredepartment-5

Live Christmas tree or artificial this year? That’s a question many families ask. If you choose to purchase a real tree, South Haven Emergency Services Chief Ron Wise spoke with WSJM News and suggests not keeping that live tree in the house for long.

“If you have a real tree in your house, remember the longer it stays in the house, the more of a fire hazard that it can become because the tree is the greenest the day you bring it into the house,” Wise said.

Keeping the tree watered every day, checking for frayed wires, and unplugging the lights on the tree when you are out of the house are steps you can take to keep your home safe. Below is a demonstration of how quickly an unwatered tree can go up.