Solvang hosted its annual Christmas tree burn on Friday night as the traditional farewell to the small city's holiday celebration.
For several days, Santa Ynez Valley residents had deposited undecorated trees, forming a behemoth pile near Old Mission Santa Ines.
The event concluded Solvang Julefest, which featured parades and other activities in the Danish-themed city during December.
The 2019 Julefest, organized by IDK Events, included many past favorite events plus new ones, including “Aurora Dronealis,” which featured 100 drones creating a choreographed show in the night sky.
The tree burn, which began in 1989, has had its supporters and detractors.
Some residents have questioned the event’s effects on air quality and concerns about fire danger.
But Solvang City Council members reaffirmed their support for the event last year when Coucilman Robert Clarke said, “It’s one of my favorite events; it brings people together.”
Santa Barbara County firefighters conducted the tree burn and remained on site to supervise the event, reported to be one of the largest fire safety demonstrations and community gatherings on California's Central Coast and coordinated by the Solvang Parks & Recreation Department.
The former Solvang Fire Department originally started the tradition because residents burned trees in fireplaces, sparking chimney fires, according to Parks & Recreation Director Fred Lageman.
In March 2011, the City of Solvang and the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, which provides firefighting services in the community, agreed to co-sponsor the two-hour event. In addition to the fire safety demonstration and burning pile of trees, the event included live music and refreshments.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.