YAKIMA, WA – Christmas day is one of the busiest days for firefighters said Yakima County Fire District 4 fire chief, Dale Hille. He said people can easily set their house on fire without proper care of their fireplace or chimney.
“It’s very disheartening to see the loss of property that can happen or heaven forbid, the loss of life because of something like that,” said Hille.
Prevention starts with the type of firewood used. Hille said using dry, well-season wood will prevent your fire from becoming too smoky, which can build up in the chimney and start a fire.
It’s a fire hazard to have an open fire with Christmas decorations and stockings over the mantle said, Hille.
“You want to keep that area clean, maintain a good three feet in front,” said Hille.
And don’t throw all the wrapping paper in the fireplace once all those presents are opened said, Hille.
“That’s a really bad idea, it can create extremely hot fires, which can lead to chimney fires, especially if it’s not a well-maintained chimney,” said Hille.
Make sure to get your chimney checked by a professional at least once a year said, Hille.
He said it doesn’t take much to get an ember lodged in a crack, “and pretty soon you get a knock on your door and your neighbors are telling you, your house is on fire, so we don’t want that.”
Replace smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries twice a year said, Hille.
