WATER Your Christmas TREE!
Frequently !!
Submitted by: San Bermardino County Fire
As decorations continue to be put up, we want
to remind you to water you Christmas tree. When a Christmas tree is cut, more
than half its weight is water. With proper care, you can maintain the quality
of your tree.
Below are
a few safety tips and facts on how you can keep your tree alive longer.
• Watering is
critical. A freshly-cut tree can consume a gallon of water in 24 hours!
• Never let the
water level go below the tree’s base. Too little water causes resin to form
over the cut end of the trunk. Once that happens, the tree stops absorbing
water and dries out quickly.
• Indoors, keep
the tree away from heating ducts or other heat sources. Keeping the tree away
from heating sources will keep the tree from drying. In fact, the lower the
temperature the better the tree will do.
• Check the
stand daily to make sure that the level of water does not go below the base of
tree. With many stands, there can still be water in the stand even though the
base of the tree is no longer submerged in water.
• Continue to
monitor your tree for dryness. Run your fingers across the needles to determine
if they are dry and brittle. If the needles break easily of fall in your hand,
the tree is dry and should be removed from the house. A well-cared-for tree
should normally remain fresh at least three to four weeks before drying to an
unacceptable level.
Keeping your tree watered will keep your tree
from drying. A dry tree can easily catch fire. U.S. Fire departments responded
to an estimated average of 200 home structure fires per year that began with
Christmas trees in 2011-2015.
Stay safe and
have a happy holiday season!