Christmas trees and other holiday decorations are starting to come down and a national fire safety organization recommends the sooner, the better.
Although rare, house fires involving trees are more likely to be fatal.
According to National Fire Protection Agency, there is an average of one death per 142 reported home structure fires. When a Christmas tree is involved, it's an average of one death per 40 home structure fires.
Nearly 40 percent of house fires that begin with Christmas trees occur in January, according to the NFPA.
"The longer they are in the home, the more dangerous they become," Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy for NFPA, said. "The continued use of seasonal lighting and dried-out trees can pose significant fire hazards in and outside the home. Proper disposal of the tree from your home will minimize the risk and will keep the holiday a joyful one."
Pottsville fire Chief Todd March said Thursday he doesn't recall any house fires in the city that were caused by holiday decorations, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.
"The real trees are our biggest concern," March said. "If there is a fire with a tree involved, you have a real problem. They go up fast and cause a lot of damage."
Real trees dry out and it could only take a frayed wire or a spark to light up the traditional holiday decoration, March said.
"One thing you really don't want to do is to have the tree up and the fireplace going," March said. "That's really not a good idea. It's a really high hazard doing something like that."
March said the longer a tree is in a home, the dryer it gets and the more it becomes a fire hazard.
"Now that the holiday is over, I suggest getting rid of live trees," March said. "The sooner you get them out of the house, the better."
When it comes time to dispose of a Christmas tree, check with local municipalities for a recycling program. Trees should not be left in a home or garage.
Other recommendations from the NFPA are:
- To unplug electronic decorations, use the gripping area on the plug. Never pull the cord to unplug a device from electrical outlets as it can damage the wire and insulation, which can cause a shock or electrical fire.
- When putting away electrical light strings, inspect each for damage. Throw out light sets if they have loose connections, broken sockets, are cracked or there are bare wires.
- Wrap each set of lights and put them in different plastic bags or wrap them around a piece of cardboard. Electrical decorations should be stored where they can not be damaged by water or dampness.
NFPA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1896 with a mission to reduce fires and other hazards and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training and education. NFPA develops more than 300 codes and standards to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other hazards.
For more information, visit www.nfpa.org.