A fire in your home can be absolutely devastating no matter when it happens, but it's particularly dangerous during the Holidays. Fire departments across the country report hundreds of cases each year where they are required to respond to a fire caused by a Christmas tree. They are not the most common cause of fire but they can be particularly dangerous - 1 out of every 18 report Christmas tree fire has resulted in death.

When decorating the tree this year, please be careful and follow these easy safety tips.

- Buy a fresh tree
The first step starts the moment you go out looking for your tree. When selecting a live tree, take a look at the needles. If they are brown or if they snap in half easily, then the tree is dry. A healthy, fresh tree's needles should bend and bounce back into shape if you carefully bend them in half.

- Buy a sturdy stand
Make sure that whatever stand you use to hold your tree up is very sturdy and won't tip over easily.

- Don't forget the water
This one is very important - water your tree regularly. Not only will it keep your Christmas tree looking fresh and healthy throughout the season, but it will keep the tree from drying out. A dry tree will catch fire very easily.

- Keep the tree away from heat sources
Your Christmas tree may look great right next to the fireplace, but this is a very bad idea. Keep your tree at least three feet away from any heat source.

- Never ever, ever put candles on or near your Christmas tree
Before electricity, people used to used to hang candles on their Christmas trees to light them. Before electricity, people would also lose entire blocks of homes because of a tree going up in flames. We've advanced since then. Keep candles away from your tree.

- Do not block any exits with your tree
Should the worst happen and your tree catches fire, you don't want to have to get past it to escape your home.

- Inspect your Christmas lights
In general, Christmas lights do not last very long and the older they get, the more prone to accidents they are. Inspect your lights every year before you place them on the tree. Plug them in, check the wires, make sure everything works and is intact. If it isn't, buy brand new lights.

- Buy only lights that have been tested
When buying new lights, look on the package for a mark that says UL, ETL or CAS. These marks mean that the lights have been safety tested.

- Follow the directions
Read the directions and follow the safety precautions. Don't use more strings of lights than it recommends.

- Unplug
Unplug your Christmas lights before you leave home or go to bed at night. This counts for your outdoor lights too.

- Clean up
Remember that your Christmas tree is at its most dangerous when it gets dry. When the needles start falling off, it's time to throw out the tree. Make sure you also clean up any fallen needles and do not leave these in the home or garage - they catch fire very easily.

- Be prepared
As with any possible safety hazard, the best safety measure is to be prepared ahead of time. Make sure that your home has working smoke detectors and fire alarms. Make sure that you've worked up a plan with your family about what to do in case of a fire. Plan out evacuation routes from each room, know what to do, where to go and who to call. It's better to be over-prepared than to be caught off guard.

Be safe out there, and Happy Holidays!