Updated at 9:20 a.m., Friday, January 11, 2008
Fire officials urge proper disposal of Christmas trees
News Release
Now that the holidays are over and decorations are coming down, the men and women of the Honolulu Fire Department want you to get that old Christmas tree out of the house, out of the yard and on its way to the compost pile.
"A dry Christmas tree is a serious fire hazard," said Fire Chief Kenneth Silva "While the tree itself won't start a fire, it is a source of fuel that burns very fast and hot and can cause a fire to spread rapidly." Silva added that an outdoors Christmas tree fire can send flames, heat, and smoke billowing into a structure, endangering lives and property.
According to Fire Capt. Terry Seelig, Fire Department public information officer, the safest thing to do is remove the old Christmas tree from your home and property as soon as possible.
"Why take on this extra risk? Remove your Christmas tree from your home and don't leave it outside next to your house. Recycle it through the City's curbside green waste program or take it to one of the City's household rubbish convenience centers," Seelig said.
HFD also offers these tips to help manage the risk of a Christmas tree fire:
