Florida Forest Service advises on safely disposing Christmas trees

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The Florida Forest Service advises on safely disposing Christmas trees, which have dry limbs and needles that could start fires if not properly cleared away from homes and natural areas.

Recycling Christmas trees is one way to avoid a potential fire hazard. Many communities offer tree-recycling services such as curbside pick-up, recycling centers and mulching programs.

For more information about Christmas tree disposal and recycling programs, check with the local city or county government or utility service.

Burning Christmas trees
Instead of recycling Christmas trees, some residents may choose to burn them. The Florida Forest Service offers the following tips for safe outdoor burning:

• Check local ordinances for county burn bans and requirements for outdoor burning.
• Burn only if significant rainfall has occurred in the last three or four days.
• Never burn on dry or windy days.
• Select a burn location that is at least 25 feet from natural areas, 25 feet from the home, 150 feet from other occupied buildings and 50 feet from any paved public roadway.
• Remove all decorations from the tree before burning.
• Cut the tree into manageable sections, as necessary.
• Clear the burn area free of other flammable materials, such as leaf litter and pine straw.
• Keep a shovel and water hose handy in case the fire starts to escape containment.
• Never leave a fire unattended, and make sure it is out before leaving.
• Never burn a Christmas tree in a fireplace or wood stove.

The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres.