For those that insist on getting into the Christmas spirit with a real tree, here's a warning video from Underwriters' Laboratories: [video=youtube;fS8rFLq0NDE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS8rFLq0NDE"[/video] Given the amount of fake electrical cords and products that come out from China, many of which even falsely bear the UL symbol, it may be better to just get an artificial tree. -mellow
Watered and Unwatered. So the unwatered one is more dry and will burn out quickly? Or is it because of the decoration that makes it burn to quick? (and you can hear the cracks)
Essentially, they're illustrating 2 main points; that: 1. Real trees are dangerous because they can burn. 2. When dry, they become almost combustible. The problem is that real trees, once chopped off their from their root system, undergo a gradual drying process, which eventually kills the tree. However, even if cut off from the ground, the xylem transport layer will continue to move water up the tree if there is water available. This is similar to how one would keep cut flowers appearing fresh for a longer period by sticking them into a vase of water. The water is sucked up by the flowers in order for them to stay alive longer. If the flowers were cut and then kept out of water, they would dry out almost immediately. Christmas trees are likewise the same as those cut flowers. If you stick the cut tree into a holder that is full of water, the water keeps the tree's tissues (needles, branches, bark) moist and well hydrated longer. However once the tree is deprived of water, it dries out so rapidly that it becomes the equivalent of tinder. That is, it is so dry that any nearby flame would cause it to almost immediately catch fire. The UL lab warning video simply illustrates that real trees are dangerous, but if you insist on having one, then ensure that they stay well hydrated or else the fire hazard becomes magnified ten fold. -shock
looks more like someone has poured petrol over the unwatered tree! but i do question why people buy the real trees? its expensive, messy and can only use once
I don't even have a tree....... lol and i don't even remember when was the last time i lit a candle for lighting
The point I think that they're trying to make is, that you shouldn't have a real tree to begin with; but if you do there are varying degrees of evil. Having a real tree is dangerous enough. Having a real tree and then not taking care of it is almost guaranteed death if a fire starts. Here's another video that illustrates the point more clearly: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_eHBqVYa8A&feature=related"]YouTube - Christmas Tree Fire[/ame] Notice the timer at the bottom? They put that there to remind people that this is not figuratively speaking; it will literally take less than a minute for the entire room to be consumed in smoke and flame*. Most people are given the mistaken impression that during a fire, one can easily run out of their house to safety. But, in a fire, the fumes become so rapidly thick that one cannot see one's own hand even if held an inch from one's face. The best way to simulate how everything looks and feels in a fire is to close your eyes and tie a plastic bag over your head; you become blind as a bat as you're being quickly suffocated. Of course, I'm not suggesting that anyone actually try this, but used it as a point of illustration. This is the reason why most fire victims die of smoke inhalation and not burns from the flames. So, the moral of this story for me is, it simply isn't worth the risk of death to cater to a few romantic notions (of having a "traditional" Christmas) in support of getting a real tree. Of course, if you're lucky enough to have your own property with a real live evergreen stuck in the ground that you choose to decorate outside at some distance to the house; then that's a totally different story. -lol At any rate, hoping that all here in PA have a happy and safe holiday season *NOTE: At around 30 secs of time elapse, look carefully at the lamp shade to the right of the screen. Notice that there is as yet no flame that is even close to it, but the lamp shade and tabletop spontaneously bursts into flames. This is an example of Flashover, in which the temperature of an object becomes so hot that it will burst into flames all by itself. In a real fire, super hot gases produced by the initial flame travels along surfaces, coating everything with a layer of high temperature that then heats up other objects (like furniture). These heated objects then become super flammable, often igniting by themselves.
Damn, that is like a maelstrom of evil! That is scary. No wonder why in schools they have fire drills to teach students to escape from buildings within 5 minute.
I never had a real tree at home because I have allergy .. God blessed .. lol I only plug in the light for a few hours twice - xmas and new year so yeah .. pretty safe here .. save electricity and avoid fire risk (even for synthetic tree) Nice reminder though. Thx.
yay another reason not to have a real tree because im too lazy to maintain one anyways. the main thing i hate about them is how they dry out and then the pines start falling off and you have to keep sweeping your floor >>
