A spike in chimney fires in East Otago last month has firefighters asking people to get their flues, chimneys and fireplaces checked.
East Otago fire risk management officer Mark Bredenbeck said August was a ''bad month'' for chimney fires in East Otago.
In the past fortnight, firefighters had attended six chimney fires in East Otago, a higher incident rate than for similar periods in past years.
The actual number of chimney fires in the area would be greater because most were dealt with by the residents and were never reported, he said.
A chimney fire had the potential to spread from the chimney into walls and the roof.
''If you have a chimney fire always call the Fire Service, to make sure the fire hasn't spread,'' Mr Bredenbeck said.
Chimney fires were often caused by a build-up of soot and creosote in the chimney flue or a blockage caused by bird nests.
A chimney could be faulty when the mortar between bricks has broken down, bricks had become dislodged or when a metal flue was corroded.
A warning sign a chimney was dangerous was if smoke escaped from the fireplace rather than going up through the chimney.
Another sign was the fire not burning as well it normally did, he said.
If someone thought their fireplace and chimney were not working properly, they should get them checked and cleaned by a professional. People also needed to ensure they had working smoke alarms.
''They won't prevent a fire from occurring but will provide the early warning you need to evacuate your home safely.''
