Story Update: With the holiday season wrapping up, the WGFC and NFPA urge all home owners to monitor live Christmas trees and remove them promptly from homes when they stop taking water and needles are dropping.

While the holidays are a time for family and celebrations, the West Grove Fire Company urges all to use good common sense and caution with respect to the unique fire risks of the holiday season.

Most significant are the risks of live, dry trees. Residents are urged to regularly water Christmas trees, and remove trees promptly from homes when they show signs of dryness and falling needles.

Candles, lights and other decorations are nearly always the cause of Christmas-related tree fires, so caution must be used around live trees which present a significant fire risk. US fire departments responded to nearly 1,000 home fires that began with decorations last year. Christmas trees are a risk, especially in the very dry conditions we have experienced in the past 60 days. As trees dry out, the risk increases as trees become more flammable -- 36 percent of all tree fires in homes took place in January, so promptly remove holiday trees quickly after Christmas.

The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) has holiday safety tips at the links below. Please have a safe holiday season.