As the nights draw in for autumn and winter Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service are asking homeowners as part of Chimney Fire Safety Week 2017 (September 4th - 10th) to get their chimney’s swept by an approved sweep.

Chimney fires accounted for over 4,200 incidents dealt with by fire and rescue services between April 2015 and March 2016. This year’s Chimney Fire Safety Week as part of the Government’s Fire Kills campaign is calling for homeowners to clean up their act and get their chimneys swept by a registered sweep to prevent chimney damage, and, in worse cases, household fires.

Having your chimney swept regularly can prevent chimney fires, and all it takes is: one phone call (to a registered sweep), one modest payment and one hour of your time.

To keep you and your family safe from fire:

Always use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks from hot embers

Make sure embers are properly put out before you go to bed

Keep chimneys and flues clean and well maintained

Never burn rubbish

Never use flammable liquids such as petrol or paraffin to light your fire

Station Commander Stuart Crebbin from HWFRS’s Community Risk department said: “To keep you and your family safe from fire you should make sure you have your chimney swept regularly, depending on what fuel you burn, before the colder months set in and you begin to use your fire again.”

Station Commander Crebbin continued: “A stove or open fire can be an ideal and pleasant way to keep warm in the winter, but without proper maintenance a chimney can become dangerous.”

He urged people to make an appointment now with a registered chimney sweep if their chimney is due a clean. Further chimney safety advice and full details of chimney sweeps operating locally are listed on the Service’s website at www.hwfire.org.uk under the Safety and Advice heading.