Hollister
– The trees are standing, the tinsel is hanging and the lights
are flashing. And for some Hollister residents it will stay that
way past Christmas and even into the New Year, long enough to
create a potential fire hazard.
Hollister – The trees are standing, the tinsel is hanging and the lights are flashing. And for some Hollister residents it will stay that way past Christmas and even into the New Year, long enough to create a potential fire hazard.
The Hollister Fire Department is urging residents to practice safe Christmas tree decoration and handling. Hollister Fire Capt. Fred Cheshire said it is not uncommon to respond to fires after Christmas when residents store trees outside of their homes. When left outside the trees dry out, making for a potential fire hazard.
County residents can take advantage of Boy Scout troop tree pickups at 9am Jan. 6, 7 and 13 in parts of Hollister and San Juan Bautista. The troops will be picking up trees for a $7 donation. Cheshire urged residents to take advantage of the service.
“Make sure that it gets disposed of quickly,” Cheshire said.
Cheshire said keeping the tree watered is important. He added that using flame retardant spray to flock a fresh tree will also help prevent a fire.
Electrical problems or malfunctions cause more than 40 percent of Christmas tree fires nationwide, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
“I think it’s important that the lighting is UL approved lighting,” Cheshire said.
Trees left too close to heat sources are also potential hazards, according to the NFPA. One in every 22 Christmas tree fires reported from 2000 to 2004 resulted in a death, according to the NFPA.
Hollister Fire Chief Bill Garringer played a video from the NFPA of a Christmas tree fire Wednesday. Within five seconds, the flames reached the ceiling and within 40 seconds the entire room was ablaze, smoke obscuring the camera’s view.
“People don’t understand how volatile those things are,” Garringer said.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or
mv*********@fr***********.com
.
