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“Putting it in the fireplace is not a safe practice,” he said. “The colors in Christmas paper, as it burns, creates creosotes that coats the flue of the chimney.”
Creosote build-up, a sooty coating left after burning, over time can cause chimney fires and that’s why it’s important to have your fireplace cleaned yearly. “It’s better to throw it (wrapping paper) in the trash. It feels different. It’s an oily feel.”
As Christmas nears and live trees have been left up over a long period of time, it is particularly important to give them water, Corbet explained. “Check it every day. Feel the needles. If they feel dry and the needles come off it needs water.”
Thus far there have been no Christmas tree related fires in the city, Corbet said. Across the country, there are 600 such fires every year and an average of 33 deaths each year, 112 injuries and $21 million in property damage.
These fires are bad. “Very bad. They burn very easily. If you look at the wildfires out west and see how fast they burn, think about a tree cut in October.”
When it comes time to take the lights down it’s important to inspect them carefully for frays and cuts and try to store them as neatly as possible. “Never leave home with the (tree) lights on,” he said. “Never put the tree close to the fireplace. The heat from the fireplace helps dry it out.”
If you’re shopping for an artificial tree for next year or one at the last minute, Corbet said most of them are non-flammable and you can look for labels from United Underwriters Laboratory and FM Global— these groups test trees for safety issues.
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