Creosote buildup causes chimney fires. You should have your chimney professionally inspected or cleaned after every 70 fires. If you burn wet wood (which you shouldn’t), have it inspected or cleaned ...

People are drawn to a fire, whether for roasting marshmallows in summer or cuddling up near the fireplace in winter. Just as you take precautions to prevent campfires from getting out of control, ...

Here’s one for the annals of homeowner negligence: As of last month, my chimney had gone eight full years without being inspected, much less cleaned. For all I knew, a few generations of squirrels had ...

Flue season is upon us. That means it's time to protect yourself. Not against aches and pains, but against the risks of a chimney fire. "Fireplaces need to be maintained," says James Rydill, owner of ...

For the first time in months, many central Illinoisans are beginning to think of relaxing to the sounds of crackling logs. But before nestling inside on a crisp night, fire officials give their answer ...

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, homeowners light their fireplaces -- and call Jeremy Biswell. “We probably get about 50 calls a day this time of year,” ...

With his home furnace in need of repair, K.C. Wilkinson set a fire Thursday in a rarely used, front-room fireplace and left the house to cut wood. He returned to find the structure on Coddington Lane ...

As our ancestors squatted in their caves around an open flame, they no doubt cultivated a healthy respect for fire. Although today our heat sources are more packaged and convenient -- wood stoves, ...