Despite the fact that the holidays are now over, it can be very tempting to leave up your Christmas tree to maintain that festive feeling.
However, The National Fire Protection Association is strongly encouraging everyone to dispose of their Christmas trees as soon as possible.
“As much as we all enjoy the look and feel of Christmas trees in our homes, they’re large combustible items that have the potential to result in serious fires,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at NFPA.
Even though Christmas tree fires may not occur often, when they do, they tend to be more serious according to NFPA. This is due to the fact that the trees dry out over time, making a bigger fire hazard.
Between 2018 and 2022, four people died in Christmas tree fires, with the fires resulting in over $15 million in damages.
To safely dispose of your tree, NFPA recommends the following tips:
- Use the gripping area from the plug when unplugging electrical decorations, rather than tugging on the cord.
- Inspect light strings for damage, disposing of damaged strings.
- Wrap up lights in individual plastic bags or wrap them around a piece of cardboard.
- Store electrical decorations in a dry place away from children and pets.