Chimney fire in West Kelowna prompts safety reminder

The first chimney fire of the season in West Kelowna has firefighters urging the public to keep fire safety in mind.

On Monday, West Kelowna fire rescue responded to a chimney fire on Cordova Way.  A total of 15 firefighters responded to the blaze.

“We often see more home fires during the winter months due to heating equipment and appliances,” fire educator with West Kelowna fire rescue Kelly Wilson said.  “People need to pay close attention to potential fire hazards such as fireplaces, furnaces, chimneys and vents, and space heaters.”

The fire department has come out with a list of things people can do to help protect themselves and their property.

•  Have all fuel-burning appliances inspected annually by a registered fuel contractor.
•  Keep chimneys and intake/exhaust vents for furnaces and heating appliances free of debris, ice and snow accumulations to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) build-up from inefficient combustion.
• Burn dry, well-seasoned wood in fireplaces and wood stoves to reduce the risk of excessive creosote build-up in chimneys.
• Clean your wood burning chimneys prior to first use and when required.
• Allow ashes from your fireplace or wood stove to cool before emptying them into a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Keep the container outside.
• Keep space heaters at least one metre (3 feet) away from anything that can burn, including curtains, upholstery and clothing.
• Replace worn or damaged electrical wires and connections on vehicles and extension cords and use the proper gauge extension cord for vehicle block heaters.
• Consider using approved timers for vehicle block heaters rather than leaving heaters on all night.
• Ensure that vehicles are not left running inside any garage or building.
• Ensure there is a working smoke alarm on every floor and outside all sleeping areas of your home.
• Install CO alarms to alert you to the presence of this deadly gas.