Are you one of those people who just can’t say goodbye to your Christmas tree? Do you have that same sentimental draw every year to that needily guest in the family room? Are there tears in your eyes when you remove those perfectly-hung lights?
Well you are not alone. It is hard to take down the ornaments and toss that fir to the curb (metaphorically speaking, since if you did put it at the end of your driveway, it would stay there either until you decided to move it again or until the tree fairy magically made an appearance.)
And while the thought of taking down your holiday tradition gets harder and harder, there is a point where you must let go. Every year, there are reports of home fires caused by dried out Christmas trees, and it’s something that can easily be prevented.
“Keep an eye on the needles,” said Concord fire Chief Dan Andrus. “It will tell you when it’s dry.”
We know, some of you are reading this on Christmas Eve while others are slowly scanning this masterpiece in the days immediately following Christmas, but it’s never too early to think about safety.
Trees can only last so long after they have been cut. Trust us, we tried to save one in our house as a kid and it did not go all that well. It was like someone just shook the tree uncontrollably. The needles were everywhere.
“If you’re losing a lot of needles, put aside the sentimentality and haul it out,” said Andrus.
Even with a solid cut before you place it in the tree stand full of fresh water, and even if you provide a steady diet of the same, the tree will eventually dry out beyond the point of no return.
“I haven’t found a tree that isn’t dried out after a couple weeks,” said Andrus.
One big cause of tree fires is faulty lights. But since your tree has likely been inhabiting your home for a few weeks and you surely checked them out before, you should be all set on that front – unless your cat, dog or pet raccoon spent each night chewing through the wiring.
What is truly the most dangerous part is when your tree is so dry that the littlest spark could ignite a blaze that can roar out of control in a flash. If your tree is losing branches or needles fall off in bunches to the touch, that is a sign that it is time to drag it outside.
“It can literally be explosive,” said Andrus. “Take a look at some of the videos and you’ll be awestruck at how quickly it goes up.”
The closer it is to a heat source, like radiators, candles or fire places, the higher the odds it could go up in flames.
So listen to what your tree is telling you. Because only you can prevent a forest fire in your living room.
