Dry Christmas Tree burning (left) and fresh, watered Christmas Tree burning (right).
National Fire Protection Association/Underwriters Laboratories (UL) video compares the burning of a dry real Christmas Tree compared to the burning of a fresh, watered Christmas Tree.
Christmas tree fire demonstration showing how fast a dry Scotch Pine tree burns (elapsed time 48 seconds).
Christmas Tree tips: Don't buy a tree that loses a lot of needles if you run your hands along the length of a branch.
Water Daily: A cut tree will consume a quart of water per day for each inch of diameter of the tree trunk, so a two-inch tree trunk will consume one-half gallon of water per day.
Make a fresh cut at the tree's base when you bring it home before you set up the tree. This will open up the tree to improve water absorption efficiency.
Keep the tree at least three feet from heat sources such as fireplaces, heaters, radiators and heating vents.
Do not keep the tree longer than four weeks.
Video footage provided to media by NFPA and UL with voiceover and without voiceover.
