Fire prevention group urges timely disposal of Christmas trees
JACKSON, Tenn. — Nearly 40 percent of fires that begin with Christmas Trees occur in January.
That statistic is from the National Fire Protection Association, and they are urging everyone to take down their Christmas trees and lights sooner rather than later.
“Christmas trees are very flammable,” Lorraine Carli, the National Fire Protection Association’s vice president of outreach and advocacy, states in a release. “Trees dry out the longer they remain in the home and can be consumed by fire in a matter of seconds.”
The NFPA recommends using local recycling programs if available and says that trees shouldn’t be put in a garage or left outside.
They also offer the following tips on safely removing lighting and decorations.
- Use the gripping area on the plug when unplugging electrical decorations. Never pull the cord to unplug any device from an electrical outlet, as this can harm the wire and insulation of the cord, increasing the risk for shock or electrical fire.
- As you pack up light strings, inspect each line for damage, throwing out any sets that have loose connections, broken sockets or cracked or bare wires.
- Wrap each set of lights and put them in individual plastic bags, or wrap them around a piece of cardboard.
- Store electrical decorations in a dry place away from children and pets where they will not be damaged by water or dampness.
For more information, visit www.nfpa.org.
