CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — As the holiday season comes to an end, fire officials are warning residents that they aren’t out of the woods yet when it comes to fire risks.
As holiday celebrations start to dwindle, a big fire risk could still be sitting right in people’s living rooms. Dried up Christmas trees could pose a dangerous threat if they’re left unattended, according to Sal Luciano, Chesterfield County’s Chief Deputy Fire Marshal.
“You really want to make sure that you’re keeping any kind of ignition source away from it. Things like space, heaters, candles, the fireplace, things like that, that could actually get knocked over and, you know, catch the tree on fire,” Luciano said.
The festive lights that hang outside homes can also become hazardous if they’ve been connected improperly.
“The biggest danger is the extension cords; people add extension cord after extension cords, and when you put them all together, that’s not what they’re made for. And it overloads them, and it could cause a failure in it and heat up and start a fire that way,” Luciano said.
Luciano said even preparing holiday meals can sometimes take a deadly turn.
“We have seen cooking fires here in the last week or so. You know, we tell people to be very cautious about, you know, stepping away from what they’re cooking, keep your eye on it. Stay close by and be really cautious when you’re cooking with oil,” Luciano said.
Luciano urged residents to keep watering their trees and to dispose of them properly when the time comes.
He also warns residents to be extra cautious with space heaters by keeping them at least three feet away from combustible materials. He also said that, when it comes to disposing of any fireplace ashes, residents should always double check to make sure the pile isn’t smoldering.
“You really have to be cautious all year round. This isn’t just a wintertime or a holiday thing. You really need to practice safety and, you know, check your smoke alarms,” Luciano said.
There are plenty of places to recycle Christmas trees this year in central Virginia, click here for a full list.
