NORTH COUNTY - Christmas trees have sparked at least two North County house fires recently, according to fire department officials.

Now at the end of the season, the dried-out trees can serve an unintended role as kindling if given a spark or other heat source, the fire officials said Thursday.

But Orelia DeBraal, who manages San Diego County's recycling hotline, offered a more healthy outcome for the leftover trees: compost. Rather than going up in flames, they can go down into the soil, enriching it.

"They're like a second gift after the holiday season," she said. "The gift from winter becomes the gift of spring."

She was referring to the county-supported recycling program, which takes the trees and grinds them into landscaping mulch or adds them to a compost mix that, three months later, yields a nutrient-rich soil additive.

Everyone with a natural tree is encouraged to use the program. Most county residents can cut up the tree and leave it with their curbside green waste or drop it off whole at one of numerous sites countywide.

But DeBraal said residents with their own compost should consider cutting up their trees and using it in their own pile, saving everyone a bit of work.

All Christmas trees are eligible for the program, although some sites prohibit ones that are "flocked," or covered in artificial frost, DeBraal said. Waste companies request that residents strip their trees of ornaments, lights and other decorations before putting them out at the curb to be picked up with other green waste. Trees also must be cut so that they are less than 4 feet long and 18 inches in diameter, disposal officials said.

The Christmas tree recycling program has been in place for at least two decades, said Jeff Ritchie, vice president and general manager of Escondido Disposal Inc. The number of trees recycled has decreased as fewer people buy live trees, he said.

But recycling in general spikes after Christmas, with discarded boxes and wrapping paper responsible for the bulk of the increase, he said.

Ritchie encouraged everyone to take advantage of the tree recycling program, which is free and available through Jan. 13.

Contact staff writer Dan Simmons at (760) 740-5426 or dsimmons@nctimes.com.

Curbside and drop-off information in North County:

Camp Pendleton: Curbside: yes

Carlsbad: Curbside: yes; Drop-off information: (Dec. 26 to Jan. 18) Calavera Park, 2997 Glasgow Drive; Poinsettia Park, 6600 Hidden Valley Road; Stagecoach Park (lower park), 3420 Camino de los Coches; Fire Station No. 1, 1275 Carlsbad Village Drive; Palomar Transfer Station, 5960 El Camino Real.

Del Mar: Curbside: yes

Encinitas: Curbside: yes

Escondido: Curbside: yes; Drop-off information: (Dec. 26 to Jan.13) Two drop-off sites will operate from Dec. 26 to Jan. 13 at Kit Carson Park, 3333 Bear Valley Parkway (south entrance, first parking lot on right, across from adult softball complex) and Jesmond Dene Park, 2401 North Broadway.

Fallbrook (unincorporated): Curbside: yes

Oceanside: Curbside: yes

Poway: Curbside: yes

Rancho Santa Fe: Curbside: yes

Ramona: Curbside: yes; Drop-off: Ramona High School & The Village Shopping Center to SDCE, on Dec. 29 to 30 and Jan. 5 to 6 from 8 a.m. to 3 p. m.

San Diego: All city of San Diego residents, call (858) 694-7000 for more information.

San Marcos: Curbside: yes; Drop-off: (Dec. 26 to Jan. 8) Place trees inside collection bins in the parking lot of the Senior Center, 111 Richmar Ave.

Solana Beach: Curbside: yes; Drop-off: (Dec. 26 to Jan. 14) Place trees inside roll-off bins at 305 South Sierra Ave. (Behind Longs Drug Store on Sierra Avenue) and 715 Valley Ave. (La Colonia Community Center).

Valley Center: Curbside: yes

Vista: Curbside: yes; Drop-off: (Dec. 26 to Jan. 13) Place trees inside collection bins at the east end of the City Hall parking lot near Vista library (Between 600 and 700 Eucalyptus Ave.) This location will be closed until noon on Dec. 29, Jan. 5 and 12. Trees may also be dropped-off adjacent to 1145 East Taylor St.

More information: Call (877) 713-2784 or visit http://www.cleansd.org/pdf/Christmas_Tree_Recycling_Info.pdf