County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Services wants to make sure everyone has a safe and happy holiday. It has released some tips on how to reduce the risk of fire this time of year. County Fire Chief Dan Verdun says if you chose to have a real tree, don’t let it get too dry.
“If you are going to enjoy a live Christmas tree, ensure that the tree is appropriately watered; of course, a dry Christmas tree is really ultimately a fuel source and if left to get too dry it can potentially create some issues.”
Verdun also says it’s important to monitor the kitchen closely when you’re cooking. On December 20th and 21st, County Regional Fire Service responded to three calls in the span of 15 hours. Two of those calls involved cooking appliances like a smoker and a deep fryer.
“We’re doing a lot more cooking, a lot more baking, a lot more work in the kitchen so having someone in your kitchen monitoring pots on the stove and making sure that ovens are not left on becomes very relevant in the Christmas season.”
Other safety tips including making sure candles are blown out and never left unattended, turning off decorations before going to bed and getting rid of any strings of lights with broken cords or loose bulbs.