Fresh-Cut Christmas Trees a Burning Issue in Philly

Charles Adofo breaks the law every Christmas.

Each year he puts up a freshly cut tree and decorates it, joining thousands of others in the nation’s fifth-largest city in breaking a fire code and risking a $300 fine.

“I had no idea it was illegal to put up a Christmas tree in my own home,” Adofo said after buying a 6-foot tree. “This is uncalled for.”

In many cities, live Christmas trees are forbidden only in public places, such as libraries, schools, hospitals and hotels. In places like New York, San Francisco, Baltimore, Minneapolis and Detroit, people can put up whatever decorations they like.

“We can’t go into people’s private home to check. That’s off- limits unless we have a warrant or emergency,” said Lt. Ron Van Pool of the San Francisco Fire Department.

But in Philadelphia, people who live in high-rises or apartments in converted brownstone homes don’t have the same liberty.

Those residents must either put up fire-resistant artificial trees or trees with the roots wrapped in burlap to keep them from drying out. The law has been on the books for 16 years, intended to prevent tree-related fires from sweeping through multifamily complexes.

Not that the law is enforced--Philadelphia fire officials don’t have the staff to do that. But officials who do spot trees in the wrong sorts of homes ask residents to fix the problem.

“We want people to have a happy, safe holiday, but we know this is hard to enforce,” said Executive Fire Chief Henry Dolberry. “If nothing else, at least with the law on the books we can raise a few people’s awareness of fire prevention.”

Though no one has ever been fined--and no one in Philadelphia has died from a tree-related fire in the last 20 years--fire officials say there’s enough reason to keep the ban.

“Nationally, about 10 deaths occur because of Christmas tree fires every year,” Dolberry said. “And with it being so warm this year, trees are bound to dry out easily. It’s like firewood all ready to go.”

Christmas trees cause one home fire out of 1,000 across the country every year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.