The fire Service are warning people of the dangers of chimney fires and the importance of keeping them properly maintained following a spate of incidents.
Following a number of chimney fires including three in one day, East Sussex Fire & 
Rescue Service would like to remind residents who enjoy an open fire in the chilly weather to take steps to keep themselves and their family safe.
It is important to:
- Ensure that your chimney is swept regularly.
- Remember that chimneys should be swept according to the type of fuel used:
- Smokeless fuels – at least once a year.
- Bitumous coal – at least twice a year.
- Wood – quarterly when in use.
- Oil – once a year.
- Gas – once a year (any work on gas appliances requires a Gas Safe registered installer/engineer).
- Keep chimneys and flues clean and well maintained
- Be careful when using open fires to keep warm. Make sure you always use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks from hot embers
- Ensure the fire is extinguished before going to bed or leaving the house
- Ensure good quality fuel is used
- Never interrupt the air supply by blocking air vents or air bricks
For full information on how to keep safe when using an open fire please check-out the community safety pages on the ESFRS’s website. Clink on the following link for contact information for local sweeps who are members of The National Association of Chimney Sweeps.