Chimney fire
In a chimney fire, what to do is get everyone out and call 911 from outside, even if it seems to have stopped, and don't use the stove again until a professional clears it.
Chimney fire
- Everyone in the houseOUT NOW
- Stove door, air intake, if beside youCLOSE, IF SAFE, KEEP MOVING
- Water on the fireNONE
- 911CALL FROM OUTSIDE
- Seems to have gone outSTILL CALL
- The houseSTAY OUT UNTIL CLEARED
- Stove or fireplaceUNUSED UNTIL PRO CLEARS IT
- Use this when
- The chimney or stovepipe roars, pops or cracks, or black smoke or ash comes from the top.
- Done when
- The fire department has been out and a professional has cleared the chimney for use.
- Who
- You, then the fire department, then a chimney professional
Written for this manual, last checked against sources November 4, 2026. Who wrote it
E-6.1 How do you know it's a chimney fire?
The signs a Colorado fire district lists are a loud roar, popping or cracking, black smoke, and ash from the top of the chimney. You don't need to see flames, and you don't need to be sure. Any of those signs is reason enough to go through the drill.
E-6.2 Stay out of it
Your job is to leave and call, not to fight it. Another Colorado district warns that pouring water can cause steam explosions or damage the flue. Don't go up on the roof, and don't open the stove to look.
Closing the stove door and air intake on your way out is allowed only if it's safe. It's never a reason to stay inside or go back. Call the department even if the fire seems to be out, and tell the dispatcher it's a chimney fire and that everyone is out.
E-6.3 After the fire department leaves
Don't use the stove or fireplace until a professional has cleared it. A chimney that has burned may have damage you can't see, so don't judge it from the ground. Have your CO alarms working in the meantime, §E-2.
E-6.4 Why it happens
Creosote is the fuel, and it's highly flammable. The same district's answer is annual cleaning and wood seasoned at least six months. An EPA safety kit cites NFPA for this: a dirty chimney is the leading factor in home heating fires, at 30%. The routine for wood and chimneys is in §8-2.
Where this comes from
- Crystal Lakes Fire, a Colorado fire district, preventing chimney fires: signs, calling even if it seems out, closing up only if safe, creosote.
- Livermore Fire, a Colorado fire district, chimney fires: no water, no use until a professional clears it.
- EPA Burn Wise safety kit, archived program: NFPA figure on dirty chimneys.
Sources checked November 4, 2026.