The felled fir tree during ten days loses almost half of the content of water, while during the next 4-5 days approximately 80%, increasing the risk of inflammation. That’s why it should be bought at most 2-3 days before the holiday.

Contacted by IPN, press officer of the Civil Protection and Emergencies Service Liliana Puscasu said that if an artificial fir tree is chosen, this should be bought from an authorized place. “It is important for the fir tree to be placed far from the stove, radiators or heating devices. It is also rather important to keep the distance from curtains and wallpapered walls,” she stated.

No inflammable objects should be placed under the Christmas tree. It is recommended that the fir tree should be decorated with glass, not plastic baubles as the plastic ones are highly inflammable.

The festoons and decorative lighting should also be purchased from authorized shops. “We must not use lights that were defective and we repaired them, isolating them with adhesive, as they can cause a short-circuit, which, for its part, can cause a fire,” stated Liliana Puscasu.

Candles and paper or wadding things should not be put on the fir tree as they are highly flammable, as the plastic is. The fir tree should be fixed very well so that the pets or children do not pull it down.

The fireworks on sale should be accompanied by acts of origin and instructions in the Romanian language. These must be set off only by adults, at a big distance from apartment buildings and woods so as to avoid fires.

The rescuers and firefighters recommend cleaning the stoves. The fire must be put out before going to sleep or when leaving home. The burning candles and fireplaces must be supervised.