How to keep your Christmas tree healthy and prevent it from becoming a fire hazard

It's not exactly beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Saskatoon, but that's not stopping people from getting into the spirit.

Retailers selling natural Christmas trees are continuing to see strong sales following multiple years of a pandemic sales boost.

Jill Vanduyvendyk, co-owner of Dutch Growers, says a combination of changing shopping habits, drought and forest fire conditions the past few years has affected supply.

"You think about COVID and more people staying home, and they put Christmas trees in their homes," she said. "So there was an influx of trees that were needed during that time. And now we're playing catch up for those times too. These trees take about five to seven years to grow."

Vanduyvendyk says tree farmers haven't allowed retailers to order more trees because of the short supply.

As for anyone in the market for a natural tree, there are some things to keep in mind when shopping. Vanduyvendyk says to get a heavier Balsam Fir or Fraser Fir tree that is retaining its water.

Check to see if the branches are even, give it a good shake and tug on a few of the branches to make sure many needles aren't falling to the ground.

Once you're confident in the tree you're selecting, Saskatoon Fire Marshal Brian Conway says there are a few things everyone should do to prevent the natural tree from becoming a fire hazard.

First, cut the bottom two inches off the bottom of the tree to allow it to absorb water.

"There's usually wax at the bottom of the tree up the stump. Cut that wax little piece off with a saw. That's really important," Conway said.

He says it's important to water a natural tree daily. For families like Vanduyvendyk's who put their tree up in November, she says you can drill small holes at an angle at the bottom of the tree below the water line to help it last beyond its traditional three-week lifespan.

"My tree at this time because it's been more than three weeks has almost stopped drinking water. The first few days, it was drinking about eight litres of water," she said.

Conway says the fire department doesn't get many calls for Christmas tree emergencies, largely because of public safety campaigns and new technology.

He said LED lights — as opposed to the older incandescent bulbs — have improved overall safety.

They don't heat up, and they also change colours or can in some cases be programmed, which has helped prevent people from loading too many light strands on one tree.

Conway says each strand should be closely examined to make sure the wiring is intact, and be on the lookout for discolouration.

"If they look suspect... take them out of the rotation," he said.

Another warning is to power down a Christmas tree at night.

"When you go to bed, the tree should go to sleep too," Conway said.

Vanduyvendyk expects current tree sales trends to continue next year, and she expects Dutch Growers' supply to run out by the end of the week.