ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Throughout December, the calls for house fires tend to steadily increase, according to the Firefighters Association of the State of New York. FASNY president Edward Tase said that the calls peak the week between Christmas and New Year’s. 

The biggest source of December fires? Your Christmas tree.

“They keep it watered, they keep it fresh looking — then they get all the gifts under it, they’re celebrating all the gifts they received and all that, and they’re forgetting about that watering of the tree,” Tase said.

Whether the tree is only around until the next trash day or it’s a living room fixture well into January, Tace warns: it’s going to need a whole lot of watering. 

“Keep it well watered. I mean well watered,” Tase said.” “They dry out very quickly and once they dry out, they could cause your house to burn, very, very rapidly. So, it’s very important.”

And when they do burn, the damage can be devastating. While deaths from a Christmas tree fire remain relatively low, it’s most likely to cause property damage.

“You’ve got to consider very seriously what you’re putting in your house,” Tace said. “You’re putting ignition in your home by putting in a live Christmas tree, and not keeping it watered.”

Tace also recommends checking that your tree is at least three feet from heat sources. One in five tree fires was started by a heat source too close to the tree. 

Even if your tree has been fine for weeks right up against the radiator, as it continues to die and dry out, the risk only increases.

“We don’t want to lose lives over a Christmas tree,” Tase said.

While you have safety on your mind, consider checking your chimney, too. Anthony Valerio is the owner of Four Winds Chimney, and said this is the busiest time of year.

An unsafe chimney can be another cause of holiday chaos, but can be avoided with the right steps. 

“If it doesn’t look right it’s usually not right, so if you’re seeing cracks in the fireplace or the outside of the chimney, just take a look at it. That’s the biggest thing.” Valerio said.

He acknowledged that while cleanings are great, they’re not what will keep your fireplace in shape. 

“If you can stay on top of the annual inspection, you can find the cleaning part is secondary,” he said.

Neither Valerio nor Tase said they’re trying to damper holiday spirit. But they want to remind you, enjoy a cozy fire or beautiful tree safely — and don’t forget about it once the holidays are over.