Hollar Brothers Tree Service Issues Holiday Lighting Safety Reminder as Decorating Season Begins

Hollar Brothers Tree Service is issuing a seasonal reminder about safety considerations when placing lights on or near trees and shrubs.

HICKORY, NC, UNITED STATES, December 5, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- With many Catawba County households beginning to decorate outdoor trees and shrubs for the holiday season, Hollar Brothers Tree Service is encouraging residents to conduct tree-condition checks before adding lights, cords, or ornaments. Late November is the time when hidden structural problems like deadwood, storm-damaged limbs, or weakened branches become more visible and more hazardous.

National data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) show that electrical distribution and lighting equipment are involved in about 40 percent of Christmas tree–related home fires. NFPA also reports that U.S. fire departments respond to an annual average of more than 800 home fires starting with holiday decorations other than Christmas trees. These incidents demonstrate how lighting and seasonal electrical products can become a source of ignition when combined with dry or damaged plant material.

Tree-care professionals note that dry wood, dead limbs, and structurally compromised branches behave very differently from healthy, living wood. Once a branch has died or been weakened by storms, decay, pests, or internal cracking, it becomes significantly more brittle. When homeowners wrap holiday lights or hang heavy decorations on these branches, the added weight, tension, and heat from lighting can increase the chances of failure or ignition—particularly if the tree has not been inspected since leaf drop.

Research summarized by the U.S. Fire Administration shows that when a tree is involved as the first material ignited, resulting fires tend to be more severe than other forms of residential fires, due in part to rapid flame spread through dry or dead wood. This increased severity underscores the importance of identifying compromised trees before decorating.

Hollar Brothers Tree Service emphasizes several tree-specific factors that homeowners should assess before installing outdoor lighting:

• Deadwood and standing dry limbs: These are highly combustible and prone to shedding sparks or embers if electrical equipment fails.
• Cracked or partially detached branches: Common after fall storms in the Hickory region; these can collapse under the added weight of lights or cords.
• Trunk cavities and internal decay: Trees may appear sound externally but can have soft or hollow interiors that increase failure risk.
• Tight branch angles and crossing limbs: These points create friction and vulnerability when objects such as light strings are added.
• Evergreen species with dense, older foliage: When foliage dries, the canopy may hold heat from lighting more readily.

Hollar Brothers notes that many tree issues become most visible after leaf drop, which means early winter decorating frequently occurs at the exact moment previously hidden hazards are exposed.

In addition to routine electrical-safety guidelines provided by manufacturers and safety agencies, residents are encouraged to perform a tree-focused inspection that includes:

• Checking for dead, brittle, or hollow-sounding branches before attaching any decorations.
• Avoiding wrapping lights tightly around limbs, especially those showing discoloration, fungus, cracks, or pest damage.
• Ensuring no decorations are attached to limbs directly over driveways, walkways, or entry paths, where limb failure could cause injury.
• Refraining from decorating trees that lean significantly, have exposed roots, or show signs of recent soil upheaval.
• Seeking a professional tree assessment if a tree has large areas of deadwood or any branches hanging near roofs, gutters, or power lines.

These recommendations are consistent with arboricultural best practices for identifying structural tree defects and with national fire-safety data showing that dry or compromised plant material can accelerate ignition and fire spread.

ABOUT HOLLAR BROTHERS TREE SERVICE
Hollar Brothers Tree Service is a family-owned tree-care company based in Hickory, North Carolina. The company provides tree inspection, pruning, and safe removal services for residential and commercial customers throughout Catawba County and surrounding areas. More information is available on their website.

Houston Harris
FreshRobot
+1 828-324-1298
email us here

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.