Over the past month several chimney fires have been reported in Lincoln County. With the arrival of colder weather, instances of house fires and chimney fires increase.

Chimney fires are often created by a home being heated with a wood stove or fireplace.

When burning wood, certain precautions should be taken to ensure the safety of the home and the people in the home.

According to the National Fire Association, chimneys can and do catch fire, and obstructed chimneys can vent noxious gases back into homes, causing carbon monoxide poisoning and even death.

A certain amount of creosote will be found in all wood burning appliances. It is created by unburned gases released from the wood. Creosote will accumulate inside the stove and its piping system. Creosote cannot be completely avoided; however, maintaining a small hot fire with an open draft and the use of seasoned wood will help decrease risks, according to the National Fire Association website.

Chimneys need to be visually inspected before they are used. This could involve just taking a flashlight and peering inside the stove, to check the condition of the firebricks, or looking up a fireplace to inspect the amount of creosote deposited on the lining.

Also, looking down a chimney from above to assess the amount of creosote deposited is a good idea. Chimney caps should also be looked at for deposits. Chimney caps keep birds and animals from entering the chimney when not in use, and the caps deflect rain which can produce a damp, burnt wood smell into the home.

Cleaning the chimney is a must. It is time to clean the chimney when the creosote deposits are visible. They are black and flaky. The use of a wire brush to scrub the inside of the fireplace and stove is recommended. To clean from above, use either a logging chain, a rope with a wrench attached to the end, or a chimney brush

Cleaning and maintaining a wood stove or a fireplace is only half the problem in preventing chimney fires. The other half is choosing the right wood and taking measures to prevent creosote build-up during the burning season.

Choose hardwoods that have been seasoned, or dried out over a period of time in the sun. Wood contains water, resins, and tannins when freshly cut, and can deposit a great amount of creosote in a chimney when green that will quickly lead to an obstruction.

Also, burning evergreens such as pine and hemlock is a poor idea, as these woods have much higher resin content and leave easily combustible deposits inside the lining of the chimney.

A chimney fire in action can be impressive. Indications of a chimney fire have been described as often sounding a like a train or low-flying aircraft, black smoke, flames, or sparks are also often emitted from the top of the chimney. If you see or hear either of these indicators, a person should act quickly. Call the fire department, and if there is no risk to you or your family, attempt to contain the fire as best you can until the firefighters arrive.

The information for this article was obtained from the National Fire Association website, the Chimney Safety Institute of American and the National Chimney Sweep Guild website.

Charlotte Boynton can be reached at 207-844-4632 or cboynton@wiscassetnewspaper.com.