When it comes to doing stuff around the house, if there is a shortcut to a chore I will find it.

I am not a man that likes to fiddle and fix things but even I know certain tasks need to be done and some of them, if not done properly, could cause big problems. It appears that not everyone is aware of this as recently one New York man nearly set his backyard on fire!

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New York Department of Environmental Conservation responded to a report of a debris fire on Friday December 21st. Allegedly a Suffolk County homeowner decided to clean the fireplace and part of their process included dumping the ash onto debris in the backyard causing a fire!

At approximately 6:30 p.m., Forest Rangers as well as Brookhaven and Yaphank fire departments got to the scene and were able to suppress nearly half-acre fire in approximately one hour. Ranger Hicks educated the homeowner about proper disposal to help prevent a fire from happening again.

Incase you are unaware of proper fireplace use and disposal of fireplace ash, here are some tips from Flues Brothers:

  • Don't dispose of ash each time you use the fireplace. Keep a layer at the bottom of the fireplace for better performance.
  • Let ashes cool for at least 24 hours before getting rid of the ash.
  • Assume the ashes are still hot. Remove with a metal shovel
  • Once ashes have cooled for several days you can throw them away in regular garbage.

Now that Winter is here we will be using our fireplaces more and more. Be safe!

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