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Christmas trees pose fire hazard if not taken care of properly

Many people are planning to keep the holiday cheer going a little longer this year.

TOLEDO, Ohio — Christmas Day has come and gone but many of us may want to hang onto the holiday cheer a little bit longer than normal this year.

So when are you planning to take down your Christmas tree?

Of course, there is no right answer. Some say the day after Christmas, or the New Year. Others say it comes down when it comes down. 

With the pandemic, many of us are trying to hold on to the holiday cheer as long as we can.

Sales of Christmas lights increased 194 percent this year according to one holiday data report.

And demand for real Christmas trees skyrocketed.

But clinging to holiday cheer too long can have dangerous consequences.

"A live Christmas tree, you have to make sure that base contains water so it doesn't dry out. Artificial trees, obviously, don't have that problem,” said Private Sterling Rahe, with the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department. “But we want to make sure both those trees have good serviceable lights on them. Make sure the cords aren't frayed, we don't have any broken wires; anything that could cause a fire."

Consider this data from the NFPA: electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in almost half of home Christmas tree fires.

And 75 percent of Christmas tree fires happen in December and into January.

"When you go to bed at night, make sure all of your decorations are turned off, they're done so we don't have power supply while we're sleeping. Again, these are common sense tips to most of us, but it's a reminder these are the things that are causing fires, these are the issues we're seeing this time of the year," said Pvt. Rahe.

So if you're planning on hanging onto the holiday spirit, don't let 2020 win.

Keep these fire safety tips in mind. 

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