Watch Live Stream of WPI Christmas Tree Burn Demonstration

On Thursday, December 5, at 5pm, members of the WPI student chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) will conduct a live demonstration in which they will set ablaze a real tree and an artificial tree, side by side, during controlled burns in a laboratory environment. Every year, the SFPE chapter at WPI does a burn to show the dynamics and dangers of Christmas tree fires; and this year is the first time the event has incorporated an artificial tree.

A live stream of the event will be available on WPI’s YouTube channel. 

You can watch the live stream at this link.

The burn demonstration is expected to begin at 5:30 p.m. 

To be notified when the live stream begins, subscribe to WPI’s YouTube channel.

Each year in the U.S., over 150 home fires begin with Christmas trees. With that in mind, the students in the SFPE chapter stress the importance of proper fire prevention measures, including:

• Keep your tree at least 3 feet away from any heat source. Don’t use lighted candles near the tree.
• Add water daily to keep the tree hydrated. 
• Make sure the lights on the tree are in good working order.
• Remove the tree from your home after Christmas.

Fire safety, prevention, and improved protection against fires is a core mission of WPI’s Department of Fire Protection Engineering, which is home to the first master’s program and one of only three fire protection engineering (FPE) graduate programs in the nation. WPI’s FPE Department has driven significant cutting-edge research, developed real-world solutions through its state-of-the-art fire laboratories, and graduated highly trained, influential, in-demand experts.