The Prince Albert Fire Department wants residents to be cautious disposing of live Christmas trees as the time has come to take them down for the year.
Fire Inspector Quentin Rowland said there will be no Christmas tree burn in Prince Albert this year. Instead, the City has asked residents to drop their trees off at the landfill, which they can do free of charge until Jan. 29.
All decorations should be removed before drop-off. If the trees have been placed in plastic tree bags, these should also be removed before drop off.
Rowland said that as a fire inspector, they recommend following this advice, but there are a few other precautions they hope residents take too.
“Until such time as you can take it (to the landfill) I would probably try to keep it out of the back alley (and) away from where people’s hands can get at them,” Rowland said. “We do have troubles with people lighting garbage can fires and things of that nature. I would try and store it in a safe location in your yard once you have removed it from your house and until such time as you can remove it properly.”
Rowland said residents should also take precautions when storing it away before taking it to the landfill.
“Put it in a garage away from any kind of combustibles, whether they be outlets or switches or things of that nature, common sense kind of stuff,” he explained. “If you are capable of doing so, take it to the dump free of charge or drop off until the 29th.”
Rowland said he expects many residents to take the easiest route, and put their trees in a back alley dumpster. He said that can create more problems than it solves.
“That tempts people and tempts fate,” he said. “What can be a garbage can fire or Christmas tree fire can turn into a fence fire, garage fire or vehicle fire. Obviously we don’t want to deal with that route.”
The landfill will have signs directing people to the clean woodpile area where trees should be placed.
For more information, please call the Community Services Department at 306-953-4800.
