The National Fire Prevention Association reports that an average of fires start with Christmas trees every year. But a Christmas tree is a large fuel source, and once it starts burning, it burns fast and mean. All fires need three things, Leventon said: fuel, an oxidizer and heat or an ignition source. Both natural and artificial trees provide a generous source of fuel. While natural trees are responsible for more fires every year, plastic trees made from PVC can release toxic hydrochloric acid as they burn — not something you want to breathe in, Leventon said.
Plastic is a petroleum product, and thin plastic needles can burn just as quickly as a natural tree, he said. Plus, in a blaze, plastic trees can melt, raining liquid plastic onto the floor and forming a pool of fire at the base of the tree. Real or artificial, the large surface area of the leaves makes them super flammable.
Think about burning a book, Leventon said. Toss a closed, hardcover book on a flame, and it will take longer to burn. But if you laid the book open and lit several pages, the volume will burn much more quickly. Burning a tree works the same way, he explained.
The widespread needles are thin and as flammable as tissue paper. They also allow air to flow through the tree, feeding the flames and accelerating the burn over the surface. Once the needles catch fire, the wood begins releasing water vapor and other gases that promote the burning process, said Anthony Hamins , chief of fire research at NIST.
The wood ignites and the flames typically spread upward and laterally to other branches. Seventy four percent of all fire-related deaths happen in a home, the association reports.
Decorations, candles, cooking, and heating all pose heighten fire risk during the holidays. A lot of modern homes are built with synthetic fibers and light-wood materials that burn fast and can produce toxic, vision-clouding gases.
You have to know what to do in case of fire before the fire ever starts, McKelvey stresses. Christmas trees have unique properties that boost their burn rate. Often, trees are positioned near curtains, presents, furniture, or rugs, which can quickly catch fire too, spreading fire quickly throughout a home.
Burning furniture, like couches, can release toxic gases like polyurethane and carbon monoxide. Breathing in these gases can cause lasting respiratory damage and death , even if someone escapes a fire unscathed.
Many artificial trees are manufactured with polyvinyl chloride PVC , a material that produces hydrochloric acid when it burns, Leventon explained. The first step in fire prevention happens before you ever bring your tree home, McKelvey says.
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VUit Shows. How fast can a Christmas tree burn? By Sarah Clinkscales. Published: Dec.
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