Message from the Fire Chief

Here is the fire chiefs message.

Chimney fire season is upon us again, and a chimney fire may not sound like much of a risk or much of a problem. After all, the chimney is well insulated. It may seem unlikely that the fire will get to the rest of the house if it even gets started in the first place. But dirty chimneys are susceptible to fires that, at their worst, can destroy homes and kill the inhabitants.

Chimney fires can catch on explosively, shooting flames and dense smoke out the top. Or they can be slow-burning and barely noticeable until they've gotten hot enough to damage the chimney irreparably and even catch your house on fire.

With a little care, chimney fires are easily preventable.  Cleaning your chimney on a regular basis to prevent creosote buildup should be a main priority.  Creosote can take as little as three days to form enough to have a chimney fire, depending on the type of wood and weather conditions.  Installing smoke detectors and having a fire extinguisher on hand may save your families lives and home in case a fire breaks out.  Never second guess calling the fire department if you think you have a chimney fire!

Chris Foster

Fire Chief