Montréal, 18 December 2014 - Decorating the Christmas tree as a family is such a wonderful part of the holidays. Everyone’s excited, especially the children. You have everything you need, from ornaments to garlands and lights. This year’s will be the loveliest tree ever! You know that there are some fire safety considerations to keep in mind when trimming your tree, but you’re not quite sure you know them all.

We’re here to help! The Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM) is happy to give you some Christmas tree safety tips.

• First of all, set up your tree far away from any heat sources.
• Before stringing the lights, make sure they are certified by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), that they are not damaged or cracked, and that they are intended for indoor use.
• If you have a natural tree, it is important to keep it well watered so that it doesn’t dry out.
• Remember to turn off the lights every night before you go to bed.
• A working smoke alarm on the same floor as the tree also adds to your safety – in any case, current by-laws require it.

Your fire department wishes you warm and wonderful times with family and friends over the holidays, and a marvellous New Year. We’ll be keeping an eye on your safety at all times, but you can help by taking the necessary precautions. 

For more fire safety tips, see the “Prevention and Education” section, or watch the video on winter fire safety tips (in French).