SCE Offers Tips for Holiday Decoration Safety

By Katie Giacobbe · Mon Dec 14 2015

Christmas is a time for festive decorations, but it is also a time to put safety first when decking out homes and offices.

U.S. fire departments respond to approximately 210 home Christmas tree fires annually and two Southern California homes were destroyed last year as a result of these blazes, according to a release from Southern California Edison (SCE). Home Christmas tree fires can be powerful and are five times more likely to end in death than home fires not involving trees.

While they are dangerous, Christmas tree fires are rare and can be prevented by watering live trees daily. They should be kept at least three feet away from heat sources and never decorated with worn light strands or broken bulbs.

SCE recommends other safety tips for holiday decorating:

• Use wooden or fiberglass ladders when decorating outdoors, and stay at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines when using ladders.
• Keep lights away from carpeting, furniture, drapes and other flammable materials.
• Be sure electrical cords are not placed at an angle or in a position that pinches them.
• Use plastic zip cords when hanging lights instead of staples, nails or tacks.
• Use no more than three strands of lights per extension cord.
• Only use decorations bearing (UL), (CSA) or (ETL) labels.
• Always unplug lights when leaving home or before going to bed.

For more information on holiday decoration safety, visit on.sce.com/holidaylighting.