Director of Commerce Donna Owens and State Fire Marshal James J. McNamee point out that fires related to home heating are primarily responsible for the increased number of fires during the winter. Nearly 3,000 residential fires last year were caused by home heating. Approximately one half of these fires were caused by wood stoves and portable heaters. The primary reason for these fires, according to State Fire Marshal McNamee, is that wood stoves and portable heaters require greater attention to safety precautions than central heating systems. One of the most important safety factors is the use of a wood stove with a clean chimney and stove pipe.
Officials recommend that they be cleaned and inspected at the beginning of the heating season.
If the stove is used frequently, it may also require cleaning during the heating season. Wood stove users should dispose of ashes in metal containers with tight-fitting lids. They should also avoid using flammable liquids to kindle fires, and keep furniture and other combustibles away from the stove. Because the heaters are portable, great care must be taken to ensure that they do not block the exit from a room. Before using kerosene heaters, fire officials recommend that the wick be cleaned and adjusted according to the manufacturer's specifications.