All fired up about safety

Marisa O’Neil

It looked like the perfect Christmas setting -- a tinseled tree with

presents underneath, carefully hung stockings and a couple of glasses

of punch sitting on a table near a comfy chair.

But in less than a minute, the entire scene, created by local

firefighters Tuesday, was engulfed in hot, raging flames. The annual

demonstration at a fire training center vividly illustrated the

hazards that careless holiday decorating can bring.

“I’m not here to downplay the importance of the holidays or speak

out against decorations,” Costa Mesa Fire Chief Jim Ellis said at the

demonstration. “But along with the beauty comes an element of danger

that needs to be respected.”

Ellis, who also serves as president of the Orange County Fire

Chiefs’ Assn., gathered with fire officials from throughout the

county Tuesday morning to show what can go wrong and to offer

suggestions for a safe, fire-free holiday season.

One of the best ways, Ellis said, is to start with a fresh, lush

tree, one that keeps its needles when tapped on the ground. People

need to keep in mind that as soon as it’s harvested, a tree starts

drying out and needs to be carefully maintained with daily watering,

he said.

And even the best-kept tree will only last a few weeks, he said.

“People keep their trees too long,” Costa Mesa fire prevention

specialist Brenda Emrick said. “Everyone who bought their tree the

day after Thanksgiving -- I cringed.”

Early decorators need to check their trees daily, Ellis said.

“The best way to do that is to shake hands with your tree,” he

said.

If a grab of the tree branch comes away clean, the tree if fine,

he said. If it yields a windfall of pine needles, it’s time to bid

adieu.

Treating fresh trees with fire-resistant sprays can also

significantly reduce the danger of a blaze.

A firefighter proved the point by trying to torch a fresh tree

treated with a fire-resistant spray. That tree didn’t catch fire --

unlike the dry, untreated one that shot up in a fast-moving ball of

flame, which spread to the rest of the display.

Christmas lights can spark a fire on a dry tree, Southern

California Edison spokesman Jeffrey Washington said. People should

always check the cords before stringing the lights and should unplug

them before replacing a bulb, he suggested.

No more than three strings of lights, end-to-end or plugged

separately, should go into one electrical outlet, Emrick said. And

candles should never go on a tree, Ellis said.

Costa Mesa hasn’t had any serious holiday fires in recent years,

but residents should always keep the potential dangers in mind, he

said.

“Whatever we do for the holidays, just keep safety in mind,” he

said. “Don’t be complacent.”

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or at [email protected].