By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
After the holidays, it’s time to take down the Christmas tree, pack up the lights and decorations and return your home’s decor back to the way it was. Unless you bought a potted live tree that you can plant in your yard, a cut, dried-out Christmas tree can be a dilemma.
If you have a wood-burning stove or fireplace, you may think, “I’ll just burn it in the fireplace.” Bad idea! The dried needles can burn in a flash, causing a fierce fire. The needles can produce sparks that can fly into your room, setting your rugs, furniture and other décor on fire. Sparks can also go up your chimney and set your roof on fire.
San Bernardino County Fire Battalion Chief Michael McClintock urges residents to keep safe while they keep warm. Noting that creosote accumulation is the leading cause of chimney fires, McClintock said, “As temperatures fall and you spend more time indoors in front of the fireplace, the last thing you want to think about is the condition of your chimney. Dirty chimneys can cause chimney fires, which damage or destroy homes and injure people.”
McClintock recommends the following measures to prevent a potentially deadly chimney fire from destroying your home: Keep a glass or metal screen in front of your fireplace to prevent sparks from flying out. Also, do not burn paper in your fireplace, put the fire out before you go to sleep or leave your home. In addition, put ashes in a metal container with a lid, outside, at least three feet from your home.
According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), home heating equipment is the second-leading cause of U.S. home fires and home fire injuries, and the third leading cause of home fire deaths and direct property damage. Based on annual averages, space heaters are the type of heating equipment responsible for the largest shares of losses in home heating equipment fires, accounting for one-third of the fires, but nearly nine out of 10 deaths.
In addition, San Bernardino County Fire Division Chief Joe Barna recommends having your chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional before each heating season – don’t let the new year go up in smoke.
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