The most important fireplace safety tips are simple: have the chimney inspected and cleaned every year, keep a sturdy screen in place, burn only dry seasoned wood, keep anything that can burn 3 feet away, and put cooled ashes in a covered metal can outside. Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms complete the picture.
CPSC estimates that fireplaces and chimneys were involved in an average of 15,800 fires per year from 2017 to 2019, with an average of 20 deaths and 50 injuries each year. It explains that fireplaces can cause fires when the chimney is cracked, blocked or coated with creosote, or when sparks and embers reach something that can burn.
NFPA's figures for 2020 to 2024 show that larger fires involving fireplaces or chimneys made up 6 percent of home heating fires but caused 19 percent of the property damage. Nearly half of heating equipment fires (46 percent) happen from December through February, so a quick check before the season is worth it.
NFPA, USFA and CPSC all say to have chimneys and heating equipment cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional. CPSC's list covers fireplaces, wood stoves, chimneys, flues and vents. Book it before the first cold snap, and ask the inspector to check for cracks, blockages and creosote build-up.
Installing a wood stove? NFPA says to follow the manufacturer's instructions or have a professional install it, and that all fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
Use a sturdy screen. NFPA says a fireplace should have a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room.
Keep 3 feet clear. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from the fireplace or wood stove (NFPA, USFA). Think furniture, curtains, rugs, holiday stockings and newspapers.
Burn dry, seasoned wood. EPA says to burn only dry, split, well-seasoned wood, seasoned for at least six months. Wood burns best below 20 percent moisture, which a wood moisture meter can check. Seasoned wood is darker, weighs less and sounds hollow when knocked against another piece.
Store wood the right way. EPA suggests stacking it outdoors, off the ground, with only the top covered.
Start it safely. Use newspaper, dry kindling or natural fire starters. Never use gasoline, kerosene or charcoal starter (EPA).
Burn only wood. EPA lists what never to burn: household trash, cardboard, plastics, foam, the colored ink on magazines, boxes and wrappers, painted or pressure-treated wood, plywood, particle board, ocean driftwood, and wet, rotted or moldy wood.
Wood stoves: keep the doors closed except when loading or stoking (EPA).
Keep a fire extinguisher handy (EPA).
NFPA says to let ashes cool before putting them in a metal container, and to keep that container a safe distance from your home. EPA adds that the metal container should be covered and stored outdoors on a surface that cannot burn.
Here is an example ash routine based on that advice (not an official list):
Wait until the fire is completely out and the ashes have cooled.
Scoop them into a metal can with a tight lid. Never use a paper bag, cardboard box or plastic bin.
Carry the can outside and set it on concrete, stone or bare ground, well away from the house, deck, fence and woodpile.
Yearly check: CPSC's annual inspection advice covers all fuel-burning heating systems, which includes gas fireplaces and their vents.
Smell gas? NFPA says if you smell gas, do not light the appliance. Leave the home right away and call your local fire department or gas company from outside.
CO risk: CPSC warns that fuel-burning heating systems, including fireplaces, can cause CO poisoning if they are poorly installed or maintained, have blocked vents, or are misused.
Hot glass: the glass front of a gas fireplace gets hot while it runs. Keep children back and follow the manufacturer's instructions about screens or barriers.
NFPA recommends a 3-foot "kid-free zone" around open fires and space heaters. Mark it with a rug edge or tape if that helps young children remember. Keep the screen in place every time the fire is lit, and keep matches and lighters out of reach.
A fireplace is a reason to double-check your alarms. CPSC recommends:
Smoke alarms on every level of the home and inside each bedroom.
CO alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas.
Alarms that run on batteries or have battery backup, ideally interconnected so when one sounds, they all sound.
Testing every month, and replacing batteries at least once a year, or choosing alarms with sealed 10-year batteries.
Our sister site has guides to carbon monoxide detector placement and smoke alarm placement and testing. If you also use portable heaters, see our space heater safety guide.
Fire outside the fireplace or a fire you think is in the chimney: get everyone out, stay out and call 911 from outside.
CO alarm sounds: get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911 from there.
Gas smell: leave right away and call the fire department or gas company from outside (NFPA).
NFPA, USFA and CPSC all say to have chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
EPA says to season wood for at least six months and burn it when moisture is below 20 percent.
Let them cool, put them in a covered metal container, and store it outdoors on a nonflammable surface away from the house (NFPA, EPA).
No. EPA says not to burn household trash, including cardboard and paper with colored ink such as magazines and wrappers.
RoomMend: Safer Home Plans is a free iPhone and iPad app, with an optional RoomMend Plus upgrade, that sets up a room-by-room safety checklist for your home or a parent's. If you notice a missing fireplace screen or a chair too close to the hearth, you can log it in about three taps with an optional photo and a timeframe, then mark it done and get a reminder to look again after 30 days. It has no ads, needs no account and keeps your records on your device, but it does not replace a professional chimney inspection.
Get RoomMend free on the App Store