Credit: Photo via City of Indian Rocks Beach

While there are many ways to legally dispose of a Christmas tree, setting it on fire on a public beach is certainly not one of them.

This morning, Pinellas County officials said they are seeking information regarding a pile of Christmas trees that were apparently torched with a tank of gas on Indian Rocks beach on Jan. 1 at around 12:15 a.m.

Multiple agencies arrived to assist with the fire, including the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Indian Rocks Beach Code Enforcement, and Pinellas Suncoast Fire Rescue.

According to officials, burning a pile of trees on the beach is a violation of the City of Indian Rocks Beach City Code, and the use of accelerant represents “possible violations of State and Federal laws.”

“The City of Indian Rocks Beach takes this illegal act as a serious threat to the public and our environment,” said a press release. “In addition to other measures, the City is reviewing various privately owned security camera feeds in an attempt to confirm the identity of the responsible party(ies).”

If you have any info regarding the tree fire, you can leave an anonymous tip to The City City of Indian Rocks Beach at 727-595-2517.

Now, if you want to legally dispose of your tree, and you live in the City of Tampa, you can leave your tree on the curb for free pickup from now until Jan. 31. In St. Petersburg, tree collection services begin Jan. 8, and run until Feb. 2.

You can also find Pinellas County tree info at pinellas.gov, and Hillsborough info via hillsboroughcounty.org.

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