LOS ANGELES, Calif.–Now that Christmas is over, it’s time to trim your tree so that you can dispose of it properly before it becomes a home hazard, a fire department spokesman said.
The L.A. City Fire Department urges you to remove and recycle your natural Christmas tree as soon as possible, said the department’s Brian Humphrey.
If you have a green yard waste bin, you can remove the stand, ornaments, decorations and tinsel, cut the tree into pieces and put the pieces in the bin before your trash collection day, Humphrey said.
If you don’t have a green waste bin, there are 20 drop-off sites accepting trees one day only. It’s Sunday, January 2, 2011, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To get the location of a site near you, call 3-1-1 or visit
lacitysan.org/tree-recycle.htm.
Humphrey noted it’s been four years since the last fatal fire involving a Christmas tree in Los Angeles. That can change quickly, he added. In less than 30 seconds a small fire in a holiday tree can become an inferno, Humphrey said.
