12/21/2025
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🎄 12 Days of Christmas Safety 🎄
On the eighth day of Christmas safety, my local fire district gave to me – a reminder about fireplace safety!
NCC Fire crews respond to several fireplace related calls each year. Keep your holidays merry and bright by following these simple fireplace safety tips.
▶ Keep your fireplace inspected and cleaned each year.
▶ Burn only seasoned wood (avoid soft pine which creates a buildup of creosote (leading cause of chimney fires.)
▶ Fireplaces should be equipped with an appropriate screen or glass enclosure to prevent sparks from flying out.
▶ Never overload your woodstove with wood or artificial logs, the resulting fire may be too large for the unit.
▶ Make sure the top of the chimney is free and clear of tree branches.
▶ Do not use a stove that is damaged or missing safety items (including broken vent systems, missing / broken fire bricks).
▶ Be sure to keep combustible materials and extra firewood a safe distance from the fireplace (more than 5 feet away).
▶ When building a fire, strategically place logs on a metal grate at the back end of your fireplace; always use kindling to ignite fire.
▶ Have a chimney cap installed on all of the flues. New chimney caps are usually constructed of stainless steel and do not rust. They keep out rain, birds, raccoons, squirrels, leaves and other debris that could obstruct the flow of flue gasses in your chimney.
▶ Do not use any type of liquid fire starters (lighter fluid, charcoal grill lighter, gasoline, etc.) to start the fire. Only use fire starters specifically designed for fireplaces and wood stoves. Besides the inherent danger of out of control flames inside the home, some of these accelerants can leave residues that may ignite inside the flue (chimney fire).
▶ Keep it clear. Keep all furniture and combustible furnishings (like a Christmas tree and decorations) at least 36 inches away from the fireplace or wood stove. Exposure to heat can lower the ignition temperature of combustible items over time, and they can catch fire.
Santa Claus is coming to town – Stay on the nice list and make sure your fireplace/woodstove is fire safe. 🎅🏻