Dangers of the holiday season include decorations, Christmas trees

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - It’s almost December, which means those holiday decorations are going up but members of the Jonesboro Fire Department stress there are certain precautions that need to be taken.

On average, there are 800 house fires a year caused by holiday decorations across the United States.

Scott Bellis from the Jonesboro Fire Department says that Christmas lights are the number one cause because of the stress they put on outlets.

“The typical outlet for 15 to 20 amps,” said Bellis. “You want to check and make sure what you are plugging into it is not overloading those circuits.”

Bellis said that different household items like space heaters and chargers, paired with Christmas lights, could also cause a circuit to overload.

Christmas trees are also a cause of house fires during the holiday season. Bellis says when your tree is dry and next to an electrical socket, it can lead to a perfect storm.

“If you have a live tree, you want to make sure that you check on the water daily and add water if need to it,” said Bellis.

Officials ask that this holiday season, you should make sure that you are taking the necessary precautions to keep your house safe.

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