Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue have urged homeowners to regularly sweep their chimneys after 8 chimney fires in only 48 hours broke out in the county.
With the cold weather set to continue, and more and more people looking to woodburning stoves and open fires to keep their homes warm, the importance of maintaining a chimney is paramount.
Debbie Robinson, Deputy community safety manager for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said, "Chimney fires most commonly result from four basic causes – having the wrong sized wood burner installed, infrequent sweeping and cleaning, burning of unseasoned wood, or overnight burning or smouldering of wood for long periods in wood burners."
With this in mind, ensure that your appliances are installed by a competant and registered installer, checked regularly by a chimney sweep and check that your smoke detectors are working every week.