For many people, ringing in the New Year this weekend is as much
about getting rid of Christmas decorations as it is champagne and
Auld Lang Syne. And while the temptation to take down the lights
and throw out the tree may be a strong one, failure to take the
proper precautions could result in disaster, warns the Hollister
Fire Department.
Hollister – For many people, ringing in the New Year this weekend is as much about getting rid of Christmas decorations as it is champagne and Auld Lang Syne. And while the temptation to take down the lights and throw out the tree may be a strong one, failure to take the proper precautions could result in disaster, warns the Hollister Fire Department.
“We’re not kidding about this,” said Fire Capt. Tim Schneider. “When that tree sits outside even for a few days, it becomes like a match head waiting to ignite.”
A natural Christmas tree is especially flammable after the holidays, once it has been used and is either discarded outside or left in the house but is no longer watered. When an already dying tree is cut off from its water source, it quickly dries up and becomes a fire hazard.
In a demonstration Thursday afternoon, the Hollister Fire Department ignited their own Christmas tree – which until then had been regularly watered and was healthy. It took only 30 seconds for the tree to become completely engulfed in flames.
“If a tree leaned up against someone’s house, fence or woodpile were to catch fire, it would spread very easily,” Schneider said.
The fire department recommends three ways to safely dispose of an old tree. Taking the tree to a landfill is a good option if a truck is available, but if not, chopping the tree into more manageable pieces and disposing of them in a green waste bin works just as well. For those with less time on their hands, local Boy Scouts will haul away trees left in the street for a $7 donation, which funds future scouting activities. The Scouts will be making their rounds Jan. 2, 7 and 8.
However people choose to dispose of their tree, it is illegal to burn them within city limits, though those living outside the city may apply for burn permits.
Christmas trees also make decidedly poor firewood. Because of their high sap content, Christmas trees will cause creosote to form along the inside of chimneys when burned. Creosote is a highly flammable substance which can ignite itself, and is responsible for several chimney fires a year in San Benito County, Schneider said.
For those who may be keeping their tree for awhile, Schneider warns against overloading it with lights, even if the tree is artificial.
“It’s plastic and metal, it will still burn,” he said. “At least once a year we see an electrical fire either from a Christmas tree or too many lights outside that could have been avoided.”
