Safety first when decorating this Christmas

It’s that time of year again when Victorians string up their Christmas lights and set up their Christmas trees to celebrate the holiday season, but with the fun and festivities comes the potential for serious fire hazards.

CFA and FRV are urging Victorians to check their Christmas lights before use to ensure they bring nothing but cheer this Christmas.

Using damaged lights alongside tinsel and paper on Christmas trees can present a fire risk.

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan urged everyone using Christmas lights to thoroughly inspect them for damage before hanging them on their trees and homes.

“Christmas lights are a wonderful way to brighten up Christmas but use year after year can result in frayed wires, damaged bulbs, and other wear and tear that makes them unsafe for the tree or your home,” he said. 

“Turn your lights off before you go to sleep or leave the house to ensure they don’t overheat and consider using battery operated or solar lights that don’t require electricity.” 

Fire Rescue Victoria Deputy Commissioner Community Safety Joshua Fischer said it was also important to closely check and monitor any decorations containing a lithium-ion battery.

“Lithium-ion battery powered decorations and appliances have become increasingly popular, and we just want to ensure everyone is using them as safely as possible,” he said.

“Only buy products from reputable suppliers, use the charging cords supplied with the device and only charge items outdoors or in rooms with a smoke alarm.”

Christmas fire safety tips: 

• When buying Christmas lights, make sure they have the Regulatory Compliance Mark tick of approval. 
• Consider using battery-operated LED or solar lights which don’t require electricity. 
• Inspect your Christmas lights for any sign of damage or wear and tear. Make sure there’s no exposed wiring and that there are no missing globes. 
• Don’t overload power boards; use no more than three sets of lights per power board, even if there are four or more outlets on it, and avoid using double adaptors. 
• Place your tree as far as possible from any heat source, curtains or furnishings. 
• For further information on lithium-ion battery safety, visit https://www.frv.vic.gov.au/battery-safety(opens in a new window)