CHIMNEY FIRES

Indications of a chimney fire:
What to do if you have a chimney fire:
Signs you have had a chimney fire:
Causes of chimney fires:
Chimney Fire Facts:
Chimney Fire Prevention:
- Loud cracking & popping noise
- A lot of dense smoke
- An intense, hot smell
- Can burn explosively, they may be noisy & dramatic enough to be detected by neighbours or people passing by
- Flames or dense smoke may shoot from top of chimney
- Low rumbling sound that resembles a freight train or low flying airplane
What to do if you have a chimney fire:
- Get everyone our of the house
- Call the Fire Department by dialing 9-1-1
Signs you have had a chimney fire:
- 'Puffy' or 'honeycombed' cresote
- Warped metal of damper, metal smoke chamber connector pipe or factory built metal chimney
- Cracked or collapsed flue tiles or tiles with large chunks missing
- Discoloured and/or distorted rain cap
- Cresote flakes and pieces found on the roof or ground
- Roofing material damaged from hot cresote
- Cracks in exterior masonry
- Evidence of smoke escaping through mortar joints of masonry or tile liners
Causes of chimney fires:
- Dirty chimneys
- Improper appliance sizing
- Burning unseasoned wet wood
- Infrequent sweeping & cleaning
- Overnight burning or smoldering wood for long periods in wood stoves
Chimney Fire Facts:
- Slow burning chimney fires don't get enough air or have fuel to be dramatic or visible, but the temperatures they reach are very high & cause as much damage to the chimney structure (and nearby combustible parts of the house).
Chimney Fire Prevention:
- With proper chimney system care, chimney fires are entirely preventable
- Clean chimneys don't catch fire
- Have your chimney inspected & cleaned annually on a regular basis
- Use seasoned wood only (dryness is more important than hard wood versus soft wood)
- 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