Many Christmas tree vendors in metro Denver expect to sell out this season and are urging customers who want the pick of the lot to shop earlier.

Supply chain issues have affected the availability of trees this year, along with forest fires and extreme heat in the Pacific Northwest, where many vendors get their inventory.

“Our sales have been phenomenal. The public is really coming out,” said Dennis Richey, company foreman for the Neighborhood Christmas Tree Co.

The company, owned by Brian Chrinka, expects to move some 4,000 trees at its locations in Denver (Old Elitch Gardens’ Carousel Pavilion), Thornton (Denver Premium Outlets), Aurora (Stanley Marketplace) and Littleton (Aspen Grove Shopping Center).

“Most of our trees are from Michigan, North Carolina and Canada — so we’ve had no issues with supply this year. A lot of that has to do with us being in business for 12 years having relationships with the farmers,” Richey said.

But Pete Elliott, owner of Nice Christmas Trees — who claims his lot on Santa Fe Drive is Colorado’s largest — said he usually gets 13,000 trees a season. This year, he was only able to secure 11,000.

“The back of the lot looks empty compared to years past,” Elliott said. “We will run out.”

Forest fires in Oregon, coupled with extreme temperatures over the summer, damaged Christmas tree crops there.

“That heat collapsed the veins in the trees and just killed them,” he said. “Those aren’t coming back. It killed the seedlings and littler trees.”

Elliott’s father started the lot in 1965. Now it has three locations, the main one at 1720 S. Santa Fe; West 112th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard; and Parker Road and Broncos Parkway. Nice Christmas Trees also supplies 15 to 20 “mom and pop” lots, or those run by nonprofit groups for fundraisers, he said.

“It’s been a rough four years for the industry,” Elliott said. “Global warming has definitely had an impact. I mean, it just killed all those trees last year.”

Matt and Aliona Slavin of Parker were shopping for a tree Wednesday at the Pine Lane Nursery. It didn’t feel like Christmas, they said, as they wore short sleeves in sunny, 70-plus degree weather.

“We buy a fresh one every year,” Matt Slavin said. “Mainly it’s for the smell. It makes the whole house smell like it’s holiday time.”

“I feel like it’s the tradition more than anything,” said Aliona Slavin. “My family always had a fresh one when I was growing up.”

The Slavins said they had a bad experience with a tree lot a couple of years ago, so they’ve stuck to the local nursery “we can trust.”

They heard about the supply chain issues and read about shortages in other states.

“That’s why we’re here early,” Matt Slavin said.

Pine Lane General Manager Jackie Steinheimer said the lot has had supply issues the past couple of years.

“And I feel like the trees they do have are a fair amount shorter than we’ve seen in previous years. … The growers seem to be challenged,” she said.

Early sales have been strong, she said. Last year, with everyone stuck at home and wanting to celebrate, they sold out early.

Vendors agreed the most popular trees are Noble and Fraser firs. Slavin said they’re more expensive but smell the best.

Steinheimer said her most popular brand is called the concolor fir, also known as the white fir. Pine Lane has already sold out of those trees.

Tyler Sherwood, owner of Jolly Christmas Trees, said his supply chain problems came from trucking issues, not tree farmers.

“I contract with five different trucking companies for good rates and we shopped around multiple places this year,” said Sherwood, who has lots in Colorado Springs, Aurora and Parker. “We booked way more than we wanted, but good thing because one of my truckers went MIA. I guess he found someone to pay him more for the load. We’re finally getting our last truck (Wednesday), when it should have been here two weeks ago.”

And it cost him $2,000 more.

“My trees don’t like 70-degree days, so that’s been another challenge,” Sherwood said. “The heat not only killed a bunch of trees (from the farms), it takes two years to recover. … You can’t just ramp up manufacturing. They take eight to 10 years to grow.”

There are plenty of residents who skip the tree lots and go straight to the forest.

Through Tuesday, U.S. Forest Service officials have sold more than 11,900 Christmas tree permits for the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, said spokeswoman Chris Sukach.

“Last year was the first year we offered permits online (recreation.gov) and we sold more than 22,600 permits this way for the entire season,” Sukach said in an email. “While we won’t know officially until sales are complete how this year’s tally will compare, we’re on track to have a good year. Offering permits online has helped streamline the process and has been well-received by our purchasers.”

But for those staying in town, the advice was universal from vendors.

“If you want something special,” said Richey, “I would not drag your feet.”

Many Christmas tree vendors in metro Denver expect to sell out this season and are urging customers who want the pick of the lot to shop earlier.

Supply chain issues have affected the availability of trees this year, along with forest fires and extreme heat in the Pacific Northwest, where many vendors get their inventory.

“Our sales have been phenomenal. The public is really coming out,” said Dennis Richey, company foreman for the Neighborhood Christmas Tree Co.

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The company, owned by Brian Chrinka, expects to move some 4,000 trees at its locations in Denver (Old Elitch Gardens’ Carousel Pavilion), Thornton (Denver Premium Outlets), Aurora (Stanley Marketplace) and Littleton (Aspen Grove Shopping Center).

“Most of our trees are from Michigan, North Carolina and Canada — so we’ve had no issues with supply this year. A lot of that has to do with us being in business for 12 years having relationships with the farmers,” Richey said.

But Pete Elliott, owner of Nice Christmas Trees — who claims his lot on Santa Fe Drive is Colorado’s largest — said he usually gets 13,000 trees a season. This year, he was only able to secure 11,000.

“The back of the lot looks empty compared to years past,” Elliott said. “We will run out.”

Forest fires in Oregon, coupled with extreme temperatures over the summer, damaged Christmas tree crops there.

“That heat collapsed the veins in the trees and just killed them,” he said. “Those aren’t coming back. It killed the seedlings and littler trees.”

Elliott’s father started the lot in 1965. Now it has three locations, the main one at 1720 S. Santa Fe; West 112th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard; and Parker Road and Broncos Parkway. Nice Christmas Trees also supplies 15 to 20 “mom and pop” lots, or those run by nonprofit groups for fundraisers, he said.

“It’s been a rough four years for the industry,” Elliott said. “Global warming has definitely had an impact. I mean, it just killed all those trees last year.”

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Matt and Aliona Slavin of Parker were shopping for a tree Wednesday at the Pine Lane Nursery. It didn’t feel like Christmas, they said, as they wore short sleeves in sunny, 70-plus degree weather.

“We buy a fresh one every year,” Matt Slavin said. “Mainly it’s for the smell. It makes the whole house smell like it’s holiday time.”

“I feel like it’s the tradition more than anything,” said Aliona Slavin. “My family always had a fresh one when I was growing up.”

The Slavins said they had a bad experience with a tree lot a couple of years ago, so they’ve stuck to the local nursery “we can trust.”

They heard about the supply chain issues and read about shortages in other states.

“That’s why we’re here early,” Matt Slavin said.

Pine Lane General Manager Jackie Steinheimer said the lot has had supply issues the past couple of years.

“And I feel like the trees they do have are a fair amount shorter than we’ve seen in previous years. … The growers seem to be challenged,” she said.

Early sales have been strong, she said. Last year, with everyone stuck at home and wanting to celebrate, they sold out early.

Vendors agreed the most popular trees are Noble and Fraser firs. Slavin said they’re more expensive but smell the best.

Steinheimer said her most popular brand is called the concolor fir, also known as the white fir. Pine Lane has already sold out of those trees.

Tyler Sherwood, owner of Jolly Christmas Trees, said his supply chain problems came from trucking issues, not tree farmers.

“I contract with five different trucking companies for good rates and we shopped around multiple places this year,” said Sherwood, who has lots in Colorado Springs, Aurora and Parker. “We booked way more than we wanted, but good thing because one of my truckers went MIA. I guess he found someone to pay him more for the load. We’re finally getting our last truck (Wednesday), when it should have been here two weeks ago.”

And it cost him $2,000 more.

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“My trees don’t like 70-degree days, so that’s been another challenge,” Sherwood said. “The heat not only killed a bunch of trees (from the farms), it takes two years to recover. … You can’t just ramp up manufacturing. They take eight to 10 years to grow.”

There are plenty of residents who skip the tree lots and go straight to the forest.

Through Tuesday, U.S. Forest Service officials have sold more than 11,900 Christmas tree permits for the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, said spokeswoman Chris Sukach.

“Last year was the first year we offered permits online (recreation.gov) and we sold more than 22,600 permits this way for the entire season,” Sukach said in an email. “While we won’t know officially until sales are complete how this year’s tally will compare, we’re on track to have a good year. Offering permits online has helped streamline the process and has been well-received by our purchasers.”

But for those staying in town, the advice was universal from vendors.

“If you want something special,” said Richey, “I would not drag your feet.”