Cold Doesn’t Stop Fires

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Fact Box

FACT BOX

The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends the following steps to reduce your chances of experiencing a chimney fire:

Use seasoned woods only-dryness is more important than hard wood versus soft wood considerations.

Build smaller, hotter fires that burn more completely and produce less smoke.

Never burn cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, trash or Christmas trees- these can spark a chimney fire.

Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures where wood stoves are in use.

Inspect and clean catalytic combustors on a regular basis, where applicable.

Have a C.S.I.A. certified chimney sweep inspect your solid fuel venting system annually and clean and repair it whenever necessary.

Despite sub-zero temperatures, local fire crews were quick to respond to a pair of chimney fires in Chautauqua County on Friday.

Around 10 a.m., Ellington and Cherry Creek volunteer fire departments arrived at an Amish-owned home on Wade Hill Road for a reported chimney fire. Upon arrival, crews entered the home and determined the wood heating stove was to blame.

''We put out the fire with an extinguisher and some snowballs,'' said Dean Crandall, Ellington fire chief. ''Then we took the stove outside, as it was the easiest way to deal with it. The whole thing was pretty cut and dry.''

The home did sustain minor smoke damage, but was still inhabitable, he said.

Around noon, Gerry and Sinclairville volunteer fire departments were called to a home on Route 60, next to the Country Fair store at the four corners, for a reported garage fire.

Upon arrival, smoke and flames were visible from the top of a chimney attached to the garage, and firefighters cleared out the remaining wood from the fireplace.

Then they set up a ladder to the chimney top and eventually used chains to clear the burning debris which built up inside the chimney.

According to Lt. Bruce Anderson, who works with the Jamestown Fire Department's Fire Prevention program, the buildup of creosote and soot are the main factors that can lead to a chimney fire.

''A chimney used to vent a fireplace or a wood stove should be cleaned at least once a year by a professional service who is certified to care for chimneys,'' Anderson said. ''A lot of our guys use wood stoves at home and they're on the roof checking it out once a month or so. If it needs some maintenance, they will run some chains through it. It doesn't take a lot to see a heavy build up in a chimney, especially if the weather is cold and people are burning a lot of wood.''

Anderson said that although the perception may be that chimney fires are a rural problem, they do occur in the city as fireplaces are common in every neighborhood. The type of wood you burn may also contribute to the amount of creosote found in a chimney.

''You should only burn seasoned hardwoods, never freshly cut green wood or soft woods,'' Anderson said. ''If you have wood that was cut this year, don't burn it until at least a year later. Pine is always one of the worst to burn, and the soft woods all produce less heat which means you will have to burn more, increasing the buildup of creosote.''

For more information, visit the Chimney Safety Institute of America's Web site at www.csia.org.

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