With less than two weeks to go before Christmas the Fond du Lac fire chief says he wants to keep the streak going…no Christmas tree fires in the six years that he has been chief. Between 2007-2011 U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 230 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. Fond du lac fire chief Pete O’Leary says that’s down about half from the previous decade…probably due in large part to new LED lights that give off less heat. O’Leary says one of the most important things is to make sure the tree has plenty of water and doesn’t dry out. Electrical problemsare factors in one third of Christmas tree structure fires. Two of every five home Christmas tree fires started in the living room, family room or den.
