PSA: The number of chimney fires in Portland last winter was way higher than I expected

I was looking at the Portland Fire Bureau's public reports and saw they logged over 120 chimney fires in the 2023-2024 season. That's a huge jump from the year before. It makes me think a lot of folks are skipping their yearly cleanings or using bad wood. How many of you are seeing more calls for fire damage clean-up?

2 comments

2 Comments

bens816d ago

Wondering if all the new builds with trendy wood stoves are part of the problem. People buy these modern stoves for looks but don't know the first thing about running them right. They might be loading them up with unseasoned wood or shutting down the air too fast, which just gums up the flue with creosote. A fancy stove won't save you if you don't know how to use it.

spencerm466d ago

Saw a local news piece last week about exactly this. The reporter interviewed a chimney sweep who said most of his emergency calls are to these new houses with expensive stoves. The owners just treat it like a fireplace, smoldering wet wood all night because they want the look without the work. It's creating a real safety issue, not just air quality. That sweep said he finds dangerous creosote buildup in brand new liners all the time now.