Fires have been heating up around Lincoln County in the increasing cold and as a result of several calls, firefighters and departments are urging people to play it safe. Local firefighters want people to exercise safe use of alternative heating sources to help prevent fires from getting out of control.
A recent illegal burn in Somerville on Dec. 7 prompted Fire Chief Mike Dostie to offer advice regarding permits. Dostie said that there are advantages to getting a fire permit. For one, they are free.
“It also tells a person how many people are needed on site and what tools will be needed to maintain the fire safely,” he said shortly after the incident.
Jefferson Fire and Rescue Deputy Fire Chief Darren Walker said that permits are not only required by law, but make it easier for departments to track the source of a fire. He said that fire departments might only have a few volunteer firefighters on hand and rely on information wherever they can get it. Fire permits tell departments where a fire is set, so there is no time wasted in tracking its source.
Walker also had some tips regarding chimney fires, noting many people burning wood are doing so for the first time.
“Everybody is burning wood,” he said. According to Walker, preparation is a key factor in preventing a chimney fire.
“It’s always good to take a good look before you light the first fire of the season,” he said, speaking to the fact that there might be bird nests in a chimney that could clog it up and ignite.
Since some people have already started their wood stoves, Walker said that it is a good idea to check a chimney on a regular basis. The creosote from smoke particulates can build up inside a chimney and block off the air flow.
“A lot of times you will hear a roaring sound,” Walker said. “You could see sparks come out of the top of the chimney outside.”
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, people should burn fires hot twice per day for 15 minutes or more to reduce creosote buildup. FEMA also suggest avoiding the use of too much paper to start and/or maintain a fire, avoid flammable liquids altogether and not to use charcoal as it can emit carbon monoxide gas, which can be lethal.
To further reduce creating carbon monoxide, FEMA warns people to follow instructions regarding synthetic logs and to not break them up to quicken a fire. FEMA guidelines also recommend leaving the damper open when there are still hot ashes burning. Closing the damper increases the likelihood that carbon monoxide would get out into the home.
Every chimney fire is different and there are many variables, Walker said. He said that at times, people may not notice any signs of a chimney fire and implied that it is better to take precautions to prevent flare-ups.
One option is to hire a professional chimney cleaner. Outside of that, people can check the amount of creosote build-up by putting a mirror in the cleanout area at the base of the chimney. During the daylight hours a person should be able to see its entire length inside. If the passage looks narrow, the chimney most likely needs cleaning, Walker said.
Walker also suggests people who burn wood use a metal bucket when cleaning out the ashes in their stove. He said to make sure no ashes are burning before dumping it all outside.
Even though there is no fire or smoke coming from the ashes, there could still be hot embers buried inside. Walker suggested people dump these ashes in a wet location, away from structures.
Walter Morris, training program manager for region two of the Maine Fire Training and Education, advises keeping combustible materials away from heating appliances.
Morris recalled a fire on the South Clary Rd. in Jefferson that spread into the kitchen of a house from combustible material near the chimney. In the wee hours of the morning, the fire spread from this material, up the wall and into the nearby kitchen, Morris said.
Fortunately, the occupant was a light sleeper and caught the fire before it spread further. He was able to keep the fire at bay with a garden hose until fire department personnel arrived. Morris said there were no fire detectors in the house.
There have been many fires of late due to increased use of heating equipment. Morris said that the state Fire Marshal’s office was called in to investigate a fire that had started from a pellet stove.
Without an auxiliary power unit, the electric fan and pellet dispensing component in pellet stoves shut off during power outages. Morris said that in at least one person’s home, a fire started when the homeowner let the fire in their pellet stove continue to burn after a power outage. He said smoke backed up into the house and the fire extended from the burn chamber of the stove to the hopper, where the bulk of pellets were stored.
Morris said the people called 911 right away and their house was saved from burning to the ground. He encourages people to shut down their pellet stoves during a power outage unless they have a generator or other electric power supply back-up.
“It’s a good device and a good source of heat, but people need to be aware of how they (pellet stoves) operate,” he said. “Like any other heating device, they need to be properly installed and maintained.”
Increased use of alternative heating sources is a big concern for Lincoln County firefighters. Waldoboro Deputy Fire Chief Paul Smeltzer is particularly concerned about the use of extension cords.
“Extension cords and Christmas decorations where several things are plugged in at once can overload the circuitry,” Smeltzer said.
Smeltzer also warns that people should keep combustible material such as bed sheets away from outlets and heat sources.
Morris encourages everyone to get smoke detectors, fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, if they don’t already have them. The Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency received a federal grant, which gave them 250 smoke detectors for towns around the county.
According to L.C.E.M.A. Deputy Director Kimberly Kaiser, they have been dispersing smoke detectors to fire departments in municipalities across Lincoln County. Municipalities have received 12 smoke detectors to be made available for those families in need, she said.
Kaiser can speak from personal experience regarding the importance of carbon monoxide gas and safety. She said that the monitor heater in her house shut down due to a clogged fuel filter. Her husband, Jake, had started to show signs of carbon monoxide poisoning in his attempts to fix the heating system, she said.
“His face was flushed and he got frustrated easily, which is not like him at all,” she said.
Kaiser said her heating system was burning too rich and emitting fumes into the house. After some deliberation, she convinced her husband, who has 20 years firefighting experience, to leave the house and call the fire department. The fire department found unsafe levels of carbon monoxide inside the house.
“No one is immune,” Kaiser said. “You can’t smell it, you can’t taste it and it could come from a number of things.”
She said that carbon monoxide could come from a gas range or a car that is running in an attached garage. Kaiser recommends people get smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and to check them routinely to make sure they are up to date and running properly.
