Severe cold sparks fire fears

A "STARTLING" number of Wairarapa chimney fires and the injury since May of four people including two firefighters has led to warnings about winter fire dangers in the region.
Wairarapa fire safety officer Henry Stechman said 71 civilians and eight firefighters were injured nationwide during the same period since May 1 and the regional tally underscores winter-specific fire dangers that arise as residents battle the winter cold.
Since the beginning of May, 16 incidents of chimney fires have been recorded in Wairarapa, a figure that Mr Stechman called "startling".
"Chimneys need to be cleaned before and after winter. A good chimney sweep will notice any structural damage and report it to the homeowner," Mr Stechman said.
Winter fires from June to August blamed on blocked chimneys, unattended heaters, improperly discarded ashes and faulty electric blankets historically increase four-fold compared with the summer months, Mr Stechman said.
He said the annual spike in winter-related fires is concerning, although he is particularly worried about fires sparked by fireplace ashes dumped unsafely.
"Already this winter we've seen about five of these types of fires in the Wairarapa district three of them since May 1," he said.
So just how long do the ashes from a fireplace stay live?
"How long is a piece of string?" is Mr Stechman's reply.
"People don't deliberately set out to start fires but they continually underestimate how long ashes will stay live. Ashes can re-ignite, even after several days."
Mr Stechman said the safest way to dispose of ashes is to put them outside in a non-combustible, covered metal container and damp them down with water.
"Never dispose of ashes in plastic bags or newspaper," he said.
He also said people should follow the "metre heater rule" and recommends people and property should be kept at least 1m from heaters and fires.
"Fires and heaters should not be used as clothes dryers," he said.
"During winter people have to start thinking about checking and maintaining fireplaces especially in old houses," Martinborough fire chief Gary Jackson said.
Mr Jackson said people should check their fireplace is structurally sound. This includes checking chimneys for cracks and other structural problems.
A further concern for the winter months are fires started by faulty electric blankets, Carterton fire chief Wayne Robinson said.
In the past free testing has been provided for electric blankets. However, retailers like Newbolds on Worksop Street in Masterton have testing apparatus for electric blankets.
Mr Robinson also stressed the importance of smoke alarms, devices that are simple to test and maintain.