More than one-third of Christmas tree home fires occur in January, officials say

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - More than one-third of U.S. home fires involving Christmas trees occur in January, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

That's 34% of house fires.

With this post-holiday fire hazard in mind, NFPA encourages everyone to keep the festive memories and remove the hazards by disposing of Christmas trees promptly after the holiday season. “

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,” NFPA Outreach and Advocacy vice president Lorraine Carli said. “The longer Christmas trees remain in homes, the longer they present a risk.” 

Carli said fresh Christmas trees, which continue to dry out and become more flammable over time, are involved in a much larger share of reported Christmas tree fires than artificial trees. 

According to the latest statistics from NFPA, there was an estimated annual average of 150 home structure fires that began with Christmas trees, resulting in one civilian death, 10 civilian injuries and $14 million in direct property damage between 2017 and 2021.

Overall, fires that begin with Christmas trees represent a very small but notable part of the U.S. fire problem, considering that they are generally in use for a short time each year. 

To safely dispose of a Christmas tree, NFPA recommends using the local community’s recycling program, if possible; trees should not be put in the garage or left outside. NFPA also offers these tips for safely removing lighting and decorations to ensure that they remain in good condition:

• 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.