(Radio Iowa) – The twinkling lights on a tree decked with ornaments can look beautiful, but one expert reminds to take precautions, especially if you have a fresh-cut tree inside the house this month. Webster City Fire Chief Chuck Stansfield says you have to keep up with watering that tree daily, and if you leave home, switch the lights off or keep them on a timer.

Stansfield says Iowans can minimize other fire risks that come with the season of celebration.

When decorating the outside of the house, the chief suggests buying new lights instead of using old ones that might not be the safest.

Another advantage to modern L-E-D lights is they use much less power, and multiple strands can typically be plugged into one outlet.