Fireplace safety tips Never use any liquid fuels, such as gasoline or kerosene, to start a fire in a fireplace. Combustible fumes, even from firewood that has been soaked in fuel and later brought inside, can cause flash fires that injure or damage. Avoid using too many paper products to ignite an indoor fire. Burning embers can float up the chimney and start fires elsewhere. Always use a fireplace grate and repair any visible cracks in the fireplace walls.
Heat can enlarge masonry cracks and expose flammable materials in a home.
Always use a fireplace screen or glass to prevent embers or shifting logs from igniting something in your home. Make sure all chimneys, woodstoves and fireplaces are kept clean. Build-up actually buffers heat from the house and can cause fires when they get too hot. Burn only dried hardwoods. Green wood, construction debris and softwoods have a tendency to send embers flying, produce fumes and smoke a lot when they are burned.