Why You Need To Throw Out Your Christmas Tree ASAP In New York

Do you still have that Christmas tree up and lit in your home? Well as of this article's date, that's not an unusual thing.

If it were, say, March 5th, I'd think something is going on there, but each to their own. Now, if your Christmas tree is a real tree, you might want to think about getting it out of the house sooner rather than later, and here's why.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), each year in January, on average, 34 percent of home fires in the United States involve Christmas trees.

The NFPA notes that between the years 2017 and 2021,  the average per year of structure fires that began with Christmas trees came to 150. That includes one death, 10 injuries, and $14 million in damages over those five years.

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. The longer Christmas trees remain in homes, the longer they present a risk. - Lorraine Carli, National Fire Protection Association Vice President of Outreach and Advocacy 

The NFPA recommends you use a recycling program to dispose of your tree, and it just so happens that you can get that local information in an article we wrote, here.

Here are some safety tips to think about when you are removing your holiday lighting and decorations to make sure they stay in good condition, from the National Fire Protection Association.

• 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 of 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.