Burn wood, not trash, in your fireplace. Except for starting a fire, do not put paper in the fireplace unless you've followed the directions for making safe "paper logs."

Never use charcoal starter, lighter fluid or gasoline to ignite a fire.

Creosote, an oily liquid with a penetrating odor, can coat the inside of a chimney and form a hazardous build-up. Seasoned wood (split logs that have been left to dry under cover for at least six months) has less creosote than unseasoned wood and therefore is less likely to damage your chimney and give off offensive odors. Hard woods (i.e. maple, poplar and oak) produce less creosote than soft woods such as pine. Soft wood also gives off more ash, reducing the fire's heat and causing huge quantities of soot, which hamper log burning.

Fireplaces should be inspected annually for creosote build-up.

Use a fireplace screen to prevent embers and sparks from spraying past the hearth and burning people, animals, and rugs.

Never place ashes in cardboards or paper bags. Dispose of ashes in metal cans and always store it outdoors. Never place ash cans near combustible material. West Whiteland Township has had several fire because ashes were placed in paper bags or cardboard boxes.