Farmingville, NY – On December 12, Supervisor Dan Panico and the Town Board attended a demonstration led by Brookhaven Town Chief Fire Marshal Chris Mehrman. The event aimed to highlight the fire risks associated with improperly maintained live Christmas trees. Using a "burn pod" designed to mimic a living room, members of the Town’s Division of Fire Prevention attempted to ignite a fresh Christmas tree branch, which did not catch fire. In contrast, they showed how quickly a dry, unwatered tree could ignite into flames, damaging gift-wrapped items in the pod. The Chief Fire Marshal also demonstrated correct usage of Christmas tree lights during the holiday season.
Supervisor Panico stated, “It took only seconds for this fire to develop and cause severe damage in the burn pod. This was a frightening, first-hand look at what could happen to a home if Christmas trees are not sufficiently watered. I urge everyone to follow all the fire safety precautions and have a safe and happy holiday season.”
Data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) indicates that U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 160 home structure fires annually between 2016-2020 due to ignited Christmas trees. These incidents resulted in an average of two civilian deaths, 11 injuries, and $12 million in property damage each year.
The trend over two decades shows a decline in such fires—from 280 incidents in 2007 down to as low as 130 fires in both 2016 and 2017—reaching about 180 fires by 2020. Most Christmas tree fires occur during December (41%) or January (33%). Electrical distribution or lighting equipment is involved in more than two out of five (44%) home Christmas tree fires.
Safety tips include selecting real trees with fresh needles that do not fall off when touched; cutting one to two inches from the trunk base before placing it in a stand; keeping the tree at least three feet away from heat sources; ensuring it does not block exits; and adding water daily.
For further information on maintaining fire safety during holidays, visit www.nfpa.org.