Christmas Trees Fire Facts

  • Between 2014-2018, U.S. fire departments responded to an average 160 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. These fires caused an average of two deaths, 14 injuries, and $10 million in direct property damage annually.
  • Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in almost half (45%) of home Christmas tree fires.
  • More than one-fifth (22%) of the Christmas tree fires, some type of heat source, such as a candle or equipment, was too close to the tree.
  • Fifteen percent of Christmas tree fires were intentional.
  • Roughly three-quarters of Christmas tree fires occurred in December or January.
  • More than two of every five (42%) home Christmas tree fires started in the living room.

(Source:  NFPA.org – https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Seasonal-fire-causes/Winter-holidays/Holiday-fires-by-the-numbers)

Watch the video below to see a live Christmas tree burn conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows just how quickly a dried out Christmas tree fire burns, with flashover occurring in less than one minute, as compared to a well-watered tree, which burns at a much slower rate.