Yule Trees to Come With Fire Warnings

Responding to several Christmas tree fires last month, the Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to require all Christmas tree vendors in the city to issue pamphlets warning buyers about the fire dangers.

The fire warnings were suggested by San Fernando Valley Councilman Richard Alarcon after a Christmas tree fire ignited a house blaze in Sylmar on Jan. 30, killing a 3-year-old boy and injuring his mother and 4-year-old brother.

The council voted 14 to 0 to instruct the Fire Department to draft a pamphlet that Christmas tree vendors can distribute to buyers, warning them about fire dangers and providing tips on how to reduce the chances of a house fire.

The warning pamphlets, which will be available in English and Spanish, will be required as part of a tree vendor’s permit to sell Christmas trees in the city. The vendors will pay for the cost of the pamphlet copies, Alarcon said.

The council also instructed the Fire Department to launch a public service campaign, including the use of public access television, to educate residents about the fire dangers of Christmas trees.

Alarcon pointed out that many Catholics keep their trees up until the Epiphany of the Lord, a religious feast holiday celebrated Jan. 6.

The Fire Department was instructed to return within 60 days to the council’s Public Safety Committee with a Christmas tree safety report, explaining how the fire warning program will work.