Home Safety
WHAT TO DO AFTER CHRISTMAS
Don't Let Your Holidays Go Up In Smoke! Dispose of your tree immediately after the holiday!
Thirty seconds is all it takes for a dry Christmas tree to be consumed by fire. Each year, Christmas trees cause over 100 fires nationally, resulting in death, injuries and millions of dollars in property damage. Many people will leave their trees up through the New Year — but fire doesn't take a holiday.
The first rule of tree disposal: Never put the tree or branches in a fireplace or wood burning stove! The fire could extend beyond the fireplace or stove and leave your home in ashes.
Recycle Your Tree
When taking your tree to a drop off location:
- Remove all decorations.
- Remove the tree stand, metal stakes and nails.
- Leave UNBAGGED trees only at the specified parking lot site within the park. There should be signs indicating where to place your tree.
- Deliver single trees only.
Use Your Tree As Garden Mulch
Using your tree as mulch could help your garden grow! You can either grind the entire tree into small pieces (tree chippers are available for rent at equipment rental stores), or cut off the main branches of the tree and reserve the trunk for use as firewood. Tree branches make a nice, light mulch that won't compact when wetted - the way denser organic mulches do.
