Division of Fire Safety Encourages Residents to Safely Dispose of Natural Christmas Trees

• Posted on: 12/22/2023

Dried Out Trees in the Home Can Become a Fire Hazard

TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Division of Fire Safety (NJDFS) is reminding residents to remove Christmas trees from their homes promptly after the holiday season. As the winter holiday season progresses, live or cut Christmas trees dry out. Fire hazard incidences increase the longer a natural tree is kept in the home.

“Nearly one-third (30 percent) of home fires that begin with Christmas trees occur in January,” said NJDFS Director and State Fire Marshal Richard Mikutsky. “We encourage households to check the tree recycling process within their local communities and fire departments for safe tree disposal.”

According to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) winter holiday fire data, from 2016 to 2020, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 160 home structure fires per year that began with the ignition of Christmas trees. These fires caused an annual average of two civilian deaths, 11 civilian injuries, and $12 million in direct property damage. Electrical failure or malfunction (34 percent) and heat sources placed too close to trees (20 percent) led to more than half of home Christmas tree fires. The misuse of a material or product led to almost one in ten fires (9 percent), while abandoned or discarded materials or playing with a heat source each led to 6 percent of the fires.

To safely dispose of a natural Christmas tree, NFPA recommends using the local community’s recycling program, if possible. Trees should not be put in the garage or left outside near any structures. Residents should be reminded that the open-air burning of Christmas trees is prohibited.

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.

The use of artificial Christmas trees will also lower the incidence of tree fires in homes.

The Division of Fire Safety serves as the central fire service agency in the state. The Division is responsible for the development and enforcement of the State Uniform Fire Code, as well as engaging the public on community risk reduction strategies, assisting in fire department preparedness and conducting firefighter training programs.

In addition to fire safety, DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, building safety, community planning and development, disaster recovery and mitigation, and information privacy.

For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media: