JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — (The video above is from a previous story.)
Do you still have your Christmas tree up? Between the business of the holidays and wanting to keep the festivities going, it could be tempting to leave that tree up.
The National Fire Protection association is strongly encouraging everyone to hold on to the memories but remove the hazards by ditching the Christmas tree after the holiday season.
Nearly 30 percent of U.S. house fire involving Christmas trees happen in January, after the celebrations.
“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, NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. “The longer Christmas trees remain in homes, the longer they present a risk.”
Fresh Christmas trees continue to dry out and become increasingly flammable, posing a larger risk than artificial trees, according to the NFPA.
You can safely dispose of your tree by using your community's recycling program. Do not leave the tree in the garage or outside.