In the weeks leading up to Dec. 25, you were probably pretty good about keeping your Christmas tree watered, hoping to maintain the lush greenness you paid for. But now that you’re in that post-Yule, pre-New Year’s limbo and just haven’t gotten around to ditching the tree on your neighbor’s curb, you might have forgotten to add water to that doomed tree. If so, you could be risking a disastrous and potentially deadly fire.

A dried out Christmas tree can quickly go up in flames, spewing smoke and flames throughout the room. Just check out the below video from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which estimates that there are around 200 tree fires a year, resulting in nearly a dozen deaths, twice as many injuries, and millions of dollars in property damage.

So if you’ve been remiss about keeping your tree watered, it’s in everyone’s best interest for you to recycle that well-decorated kindling now rather than risk a fire later.

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.