“The Christmas tree, that staple of holiday merriment, seems like it would be a prime source of home fires. For instance, Christmas trees contain some flammable compounds, as well as plenty of organic compounds (such as cellulose) that can serve as fuel for a fire; their needles provide lots of surface area that can come in contact with oxygen (which is necessary for fires—see “Combustion Review,” below); and they’re often placed near sources of heat and electrical energy, such as electrical outlets, holiday lights, and festive votive candles, which can ignite a fire.

But according to the National Fire Prevention Association, Christmas tree fires only accounted for 0.1 percent of reported home fires from 2007 to 2011. However, during those same years, the fires that did involve Christmas trees were nearly four times as likely to cause deaths, and were more likely to occur after Christmas than before.¹

So why don’t more Christmas trees catch fire, and why are they more likely to catch fire after Christmas? Find out the answers by experimenting with the flammability of Christmas tree needles using the protocol below. Explore how the tree’s age, its dryness, and the heat source affect whether or not needles burn and how quickly, and how big the flame is.”  Read more or listen…>>