While Christmas may be over- many want to continue that holiday cheer and enjoy their Christmas lights. But keeping up the tree for too long can be a real hazard. DNR Cooperative Fire Specialist Ron Schneider, says that now is the time to take down your trees if you have not done so already and provides helpful fire prevention tips.
“There are approximately 160 fires per year in the U.S. caused by Christmas trees,” says Schneider. “There’s a number of ways that trees catch on fire, but the most common ones are electrical problems, such as exposed wires or electrical issues with the lights.”
Another common cause is having the tree too close to a flammable heat source, such as a candle, or especially in cold weather, near space heaters.
The amount of time a Christmas tree should be left up depends on when the tree was cut and how it was cared for. If the tree was properly cut very close to Christmas, ideally, the bottom of the stump would have been cut off, and the tree would have been placed in a holder with water throughout the holiday season. But usually by the middle of January, is when most people want to take their trees down.
“The best thing you could do right now is if you have any light sets that have burnt out bulbs or lights that have exposed wires, take them off,” explains Schneider. “Making a transition from incandescent bulbs to LED sets also can help. As for future planning, it’s best to cut your own or pick up a tree that was just recently cut so that you have a fresh base cut to stay healthy longer.”
A fire caused by a Christmas tree is different from other fires you may see. The National Fire Protection Association (NFP) has done research where they lit the trees on fire to analyze the hazards. They found that the trees burn extremely fast and hot. The flames spread quickly and burn through the tree faster than wrapping paper on fire.
There are a number of different ways to dispose or recycle your tree and prevent fire hazards. Many municipalities will have collection days and pick them up while others may have designated locations to drop them off. It is important to check with your local city as they do vary.
There’s also some farms that will accept Christmas trees for their animals. Another way to recycle your tree is to lay it down outside by your bird feeders until spring. This provides wildlife with coverage and the tree can then be taken into the woods in the spring to naturally decompose.
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