The quietest time of the year can be extremely dangerous: the lovingly decorated Christmas tree can be fully ablaze within seconds – especially if the brushwood is already dry.
This is shown particularly impressively by the tests in the fire test hall of the testing, inspection and certification center of the city of Vienna (MA 39). A small spark jumps from the flame of the candle – and a few seconds later a flame shoots up.
But what is also clear is that the hand-held fire extinguishers and fire blankets available in stores are very effective and should always be at hand when using candles. Smoke detectors also increase your own safety.
“Especially at Christmas and around the turn of the year, it is important to be careful with candles and flammable materials in your own home. It is therefore absolutely necessary to observe the most important safety precautions. “So that a peaceful and safe Christmas is guaranteed for all Viennese,” emphasizes Vice Mayor and Women and Housing Councilor Kathrin Gaál.
Be particularly careful with dried out Christmas trees
To prevent a fire from occurring in the first place, the fire protection experts from the Testing, Inspection and Certification Body (MA 39) provide important safety tips.
Particular caution applies as soon as Christmas trees and brushwood in the heated rooms have dried out over time, which means around Christmas for Advent wreaths and around New Year’s Eve and Epiphany for trees. If candle flames spread to the dry brushwood, it can lead to a complete fire in just a few seconds.
It is estimated that a tree about two meters high has between 350,000 and 400,000 needles. The main components of these needles are cellulose, resins and water. A large part of the water is gradually lost in the warm air in the apartment, leaving the flammable components, especially the resins. This increases the flammability of the branches immensely and the risk of a Christmas tree fire breaking out increases steadily and gradually. This also applies in the same way to the Advent wreath or a table arrangement.
Once the Christmas tree is burning, the fire can quickly spread to other flammable furnishings such as furniture, curtains and tablecloths – and the entire room is ablaze.
Incidentally, most injuries and deaths in fires are not the result of flames, but of smoke. For this reason, it is recommended to purchase a smoke detector that also sounds the alarm at night and wakes you up if an unextinguished candle has lit the Christmas tree.
The most important preparations and safety tips at a glance
Comply with fire safety regulations
Objects that block escape routes are a safety risk. Stairs, corridors, attics and even basement compartments must always be easily accessible. Obstacles can be life-threatening in an emergency, also because they hinder emergency services.
When the Christmas tree comes into the house…
- Keep the Christmas tree cool for as long as possible (ideally outdoors, on the balcony or in the basement) to keep drying out as low as possible.
- Dry trees catch fire easily. Storage directly next to the heater should therefore be avoided. Also, do not place the tree too close to easily combustible materials such as curtains.
- Make sure that the tree is well secured, for example in a stand filled with water, on a fireproof surface. Be careful, children or pets could also knock over the Christmas tree!
Before and when lighting the candles
- Is a suitable extinguishing agent at hand? Full bucket of water, fire blanket, portable fire extinguisher. Are you familiar with how to operate the fire extinguisher? In the event of a fire, every second counts.
- Never leave burning candles unattended!
A brief moment of absence is enough to find the living room in flames. As beautiful as candlelight is, you can only safely take your eyes off the Christmas tree when you use electric lights. - Make sure there is sufficient distance between the candle flame and all combustible materials! Always attach candles at a distance of at least 20 centimeters from branches and decorations. Candle holders should be made of a non-flammable material. In addition, it must be checked regularly whether the joints of the candle holders are still sufficiently fixed.
- When lighting and extinguishing the candles, pay attention to the correct order: Light from top to bottom – extinguish from bottom to top.
- Replace burned-out candles in a timely manner.
- For Advent wreaths – but also for tea lights, for example – use fireproof surfaces such as stone, glass and ceramic plates.
- Especially if the brushwood is dry: use LED fairy lights as a safe alternative.
The Christmas tree is burning – what to do?
If the Christmas tree is already fully on fire, attempting to extinguish it yourself can be life-threatening. Correct behavior in the event of a fire:
- keep Calm
- Leave the room, close the door if possible and leave the room Fire department emergency call 122 choose
- Specify the exact address: street, house number, stairs, door number – indicate access options or possible access restrictions
- Describe an emergency (personal injury and property damage)
- Wait and answer questions from the fire department
The City of Vienna operates a state-of-the-art fire test hall in Vienna-Simmering
The testing, inspection and certification center operates a state-of-the-art fire test hall in Vienna-Simmering, in which the building materials, components and façade structures several stories high are tested for their fire behavior. This year, around 150 special fire tests were carried out: 50 of them concerned different components, such as walls, ceilings and doors, and were tested using standard large fires for building construction. Ten of the tests were dedicated to the development of fire in the facade area of buildings and 90 examined the fire properties of different building materials.
Based on these findings, the experts work in national and international exchanges with universities and other specialist departments in the City of Vienna to develop innovative fire protection measures that increase safety in our buildings.
In addition to the tests on structural fire protection, special tests are also carried out on the spread of fire in rooms, which can be triggered by fires in refrigerators, batteries or even Christmas trees.