Fire chief urges area residents to have chimneys cleaned regularly

Sackville firefighters responded to a flue fire call on Sunday morning at 17 Hillcrest Avenue.

Fortunately, said Deputy Fire Chief Mike Green, the fire caused minimal damage.

"Basically, we just dropped the weight down (the flue) to take the blockage out so the smoke could get out," he said. "Everything else seemed to be fine after that."

The homeowner was advised to have her flue checked, Green said.

"They just told her to not use her wood furnace until she has it checked and cleaned."

To avoid flue fires, Green recommends not using wet or damp wood.

"If they're using dry wood, usually they don't have too much trouble."

Fire Chief Craig Bowser suggests people also make sure there isn't a buildup of creosote in their chimney liners.

"They need to make sure they're cleaned once a year."

Depending on how often the fireplace is used, it may also need to be cleaned out a second time, Bowser said.

"Even then, people still need to monitor them."