Christmas trees are blamed for two-hundred fires every year, six deaths, 25 injuries and more than $6 million in property damage.

The City of Harrisonburg will come by to pick up your Christmas trees starting on January 3rd, but that's over a week away and Christmas trees are really starting to dry out by now.

Lieutenant Joe Weaver says you can tell when it is time to take your Christmas trees down.

"If you take your hand and run it down a branch and the needles fall off, or if you notice a large amount of needles on the floor around it, it's a good idea to go ahead and remove that from the house now that Christmas is over,” said Weaver. “If you have a couple days until pick up time, don't prop it up against the house or store it directly by the house. Because of the dry Christmas tree, it doesn't take much for it to light off and actually start a fire.

The city of Harrisonburg will pick up your Christmas trees January 3rd thru the 6th if you place them on the curb outside your house.

© Copyright 2012 WHSV / Gray Television Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.