Christmas Tree Pickup Slated for Sunday Morning

The borough's fire department will begin picking up Christmas trees from residents in the morning at 9am.

In contrast from previous years, the trees will be taken to the borough's mulch area, behind Milton Avenue Elementary School, where they will all be placed in a woodchipper.

Some of the trees had normally been used for a large, community-wide bonfire that many would attend. But a November bonfire explosion at Vineland High School during a pep rally in southern New Jersey discouraged similar bonfires throughout the state.

There have also been some bonfire permitting restrictions, according to Borough Fire Chief Peter Glogolich.

"Unfortunately, this year it's getting harder and harder to have an open burn of any kind," Glogolich said. "We've always been able to get a permit, but this year, there's too many stipulations that we're not comfortable."

In general, the fire department picks up the trees as part of an effort to prevent fires from occurring.

Glogolich said lights on Christmas trees can sometimes cause fires. In general, he said, it's best to dispose of them soon after the holiday.

"The important thing is to get the trees out of the houses," Glogolich said. "A standard thing we've been doing is to show people how fast the trees burn. The results can be devastating."

Borough Department of Public Works employee Jamie Bronco said the DPW will go around town in the following days to pick up any trees that were not put out by 9am Sunday.