Yellowknife (Dec 24/03) - The magic of Christmas should not turn tragic, says a Yellowknife senior firefighter.

Whether bringing a real tree into one's home or setting up an artificial one, a flaming tree should not be in the picture, Ron Scherman says.

"A tree can be blazing in about four seconds," he said.

This means precautions are necessary to ensure light connections are secure, wires are not frayed and branches are not tinder dry, Scherman said.

"Make sure the tree has no needles falling off it. And then it should be watered regularly," he said.

Even an artificial tree, while fire resistant, has the potential to catch fire, he said.

Another tip to remember is that one's tree should not be too close to a heater, nor should it be touching curtains or furniture.

"Because it's vertical, if it should ignite, the flames will spread immensely," Scherman explained.

"That's why we like to ensure smoke detectors are functioning," he added.

And as all good things must end, the tree, too, must go -- sooner than later, he said.

"They shouldn't be up in the house any longer than one month," he said.

Scherman also said it would be prudent to check strings of lights before hanging them either inside or outside the house, he said.

"Look for fraying or shorting out of bulbs," he suggested.

"And don't overload circuits," he added.