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Friday, December 23, 2022

Question:

The NECA Codes and Standards Team is Wishing a Very Safe and Happy Holidays  to All Our Code Friends.

Please take some time this holiday season, and keep safety in mind as you celebrate the holidays with family and friends. NFPA has some great informational resources on Holiday safety.

 Are home fires more common during the holidays and if so, why?

A

Answer:

The short answer is yes, there are more home fires during the holidays. NFPA reports an average of 780 fires caused by holiday decorations, and another 160 home fires caused by Christmas trees, each year. That equates to an average of 6 holiday fire related deaths, 49 injuries, and $22 million in direct property damage. Electrical failure causes an estimated 44% of all Christmas tree fires. A Christmas tree burn study done by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows it takes less than 60 seconds for an average sized (6ft) Christmas tree to completely engulf a living room in flames. Here are some tips that will help in the prevention of home fires during the holidays:

  • Holiday Lights - Not all holiday lights are created equal. Some are rated for outdoor use, and some are not. Check the Listing, as not all holiday lights have been evaluated by a 3rd party testing lab.
  • Check lighting for defects before use, cracking of insulation or fraying of wires.
  • Make sure any extension cords used are properly rated and sized. 
  • Keep your tree watered. In the study done by the CPSC, a Dry tree engulf the living room in flames in 20 seconds, and a watered tree took over 50 seconds.
  • Keep your Christmas tree at least 3ft away from external heat sources.

Have A Safe and Happy Holiday Season!

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CHARLIE TROUT: Charles M. Trout, better known as Charlie, was a nationally known NEC® expert and author. He served on several NEC® technical committees and is past chairman of CMP-12. In 2006 Charlie was awarded the prestigious Coggeshall Award for outstanding contributions to the electrical contracting industry, codes and standards development, and technical training. Even though Charlie passed away in October of 2015, his work continues in spirit. NECA continues to maintain this question forum for its many subscribers in memory and recognition of all his significant contributions to making the NEC what it is today.

NECA STANDARDS: NECA publishes the National Electrical Installation Standards™ (NEIS™), a series of ANSI-approved performance and quality standards for electrical construction. NEIS can be purchased in the NECA Store in three formats: a printed or  PDF download of a standard or, as an  annual subscription service.

NECA SAFETY PRODUCTS & PUBLICATIONS: NECA produces electrical safety publications and products for the industry including jobsite safety guides, handbooks and resource kits. View a full listing of available resources and products »

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Unless the question requests a response based on a specific edition, all answers are based on the latest edition of NFPA 70® National Electrical Code®.

This correspondence is not a formal interpretation of the NEC® and any responses expressed to the questions are opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of NECA, NFPA, the NEC Correlating Committee any Code-making panel or other electrical technical committee. In addition, this correspondence is neither intended, nor should it be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or services. 

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