Be merry and bright – check before you light

Evan Tuchinsky

From barbecues to fireplaces and candles to fireworks, fire takes centre stage during the summer holidays. Unfortunately, in a fluke accident or moment of inattention, fire also can turn good tidings into ghastly tragedy.

“Christmastime is all about celebration and being jolly, but it’s also a reminder to make sure it’s just those things,” says Lewis Jones, Community Readiness and Recovery Advisor for Fire and Emergency NZ in Marlborough.

To keep Marlburians safe, Lewis has some easy-to-remember tips:
• Keep looking while you’re cooking!
• Don’t drink and fry!
• Be careful with candles!
• Before you light, make sure it’s alright!

The first three can help prevent house fires, though these bits of common sense also apply in the open air.

The fourth has to do with preventing wildfires. Fire and Emergency NZ operates a website -- https://checkitsalright.nz/ -- that updates where flames are allowed and where they’re banned due to high risk levels.

“Outdoors, it’s about ensuring you’re not going to do anything that’s going to cause that spark to ignite the grass or shrubbery,” Lewis says. “Just be very mindful of what you do in these conditions and abide by the fire season directions. Take the necessary precautions.”

Heading into the holidays, Marlborough fell into the “restricted” category. “That means no fires outdoors without a permit,” Lewis continues, “though that doesn’t stop people from doing barbecues – barbecues are still OK.

Lewis didn’t have catchy phrases for two other tips, though they could be summarized as:
• If your tree is alive, make sure it thrives!
• Life your arm and check your alarm!

Fresh-cut Christmas trees “brown off so very quickly,” Lewis explains, “and when they go up, man they go up, like a Bunsen burner.” Place the trunk into a bucket and water it regularly. Also, consider decorations beyond electric lights that potentially could arc or spark.

Easy to take for granted yet vital for saving lives, smoke detectors have finite lives -- no more than 10 years -- and also become ineffective when batteries lose charge.

Push the button to see if it triggers the sound, and clean the cover. “It’s timely that people test their alarms prior to Christmas,” Lewis adds. “It’s a good opportunity to test alarms and talk about escape plans with family.”