The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently encouraged people to dispose of their Christmas trees promptly after the holiday season, as Christmas trees are 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. 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.

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 offered several tips for safely removing lighting and decorations to ensure that they remain in good condition. The gripping area on the plug should be used when unplugging electrical decorations. People should 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. Light strings should be inspected for damage when packing them away, and people should throw out any sets that have loose connections, broken sockets, or cracked or bare wires. Each set of lights should be wrapped and placed in an individual plastic bag or wrapped around a piece of cardboard. Electrical decorations should be stored in a dry place away from children and pets to reduce the risk of damage.

For more information about winter fire safety in the home, visit http://www.nfpa.org, click on Seasonal Fire Causes under Public Education and select the "Put a Freeze on Winter Fires" campaign.