The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) strongly encourages homeowners, renters, et al, to shift from enjoying Christmas decorations and move into the festive memories stage. Fortunately for area residents, three local nonprofit organizations make it easy to safely remove live Christmas trees.

Nearly one-third (30%) of US home fires involving Christmas trees occurs in January. With this post-holiday fire hazard in mind, NFPA says it is time to dispose of live Christmas trees.

Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of outreach and advocacy, says as much as everyone enjoys the look and feel of Christmas trees in the home, “they’re 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,” Carli added. She also noted that 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 NFPA winter holiday fire data, 160 home structure fires began with Christmas trees, resulting in two civilian deaths, 12 civilian injuries, and $10 million in direct property damage, on average each year between 2015 and 2019. Overall, fires that begin with Christmas trees represent a very small but notable part of the US 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. As mentioned earlier, local residents have at least two such opportunities this month.

CVTU-PWA Dropoff Event

The next opportunity to dispose of trees is this weekend.

Candlewood Valley Trout Unlimited (CVTU) and Pootatuck Watershed Association (PWA) are asking local residents to consider “ecocyling” Christmas trees this year.

On Saturday, January 8, from 9 am until noon, volunteers from each group will be at the Deep Brook kiosk, collecting Christmas trees. The kiosk is at the end of Old Farm Road, beyond Newtown Park & Bark.

Suggested donation is $10. Synthetic/artificial trees and trees with tinsel or flocking cannot be accepted.

CVTU is again working with PWA to turn the trees into a habitat for wild trout in Deep Brook. Donated trees will help stabilize stream banks, reduce erosion, and create a refuge habitat for juvenile trout and other aquatic life. A healthy trout environment means a healthy aquifer system.

Additional information is available at CVTU.org and pootatuckwatershed.org.

Boy Scout Trees Collection

Scouts from Troop 270 in Newtown are conducting their annual Christmas Tree Pickup Project.

The project launched the weekend of January 1-2. Trees picked up that first weekend of the year went to the CVTU-PWA project, according to Troop 270 Assistant Scoutmaster Alan Blatter.

While appointments for the Boy Scout collection are already filled for January 8-9, residents can still request tree pickup for the following weekend, January 15-16.

There is a suggested $10 donation for each pickup. Proceeds will support the scouts of Troop 270.

To sign up for tree pickup, visit troop270newtown/xmastreepickup.

For additional information, the troop can be reached at troop270trees@gmail.com.

Blatter also noted continued support is received by the troop from Associated Refuse, “which gets the trees from Newtown Congregational Church to the transfer station.”