"No matter what type of chimney you have or whether it is lined or not, wood-burning stove owners are advised by industry to have their chimneys swept twice a year if they burn wood, and at least once every 12 months if using smokeless fuels"
- Calvin May - HETAS
New government fire statistics analysed by HETAS for Chimney Fire Safety Week (CFSW) show Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service responded to 181 chimney fires between April 2024 and March 2025, the highest number of any county in England.
Dorset and Wiltshire followed with 113 incidents, while Hereford and Worcester reported 95. North Yorkshire recorded 90, and Norfolk 86. Across England, there were 2,019 chimney fires during the year, down 5% on the previous 12 months and representing 0.33% of all fires nationally.
Although chimney fire numbers are decreasing, stove ownership is rising. More than 1.5 million stoves are now installed across just over 60% of UK households.
Maintenance gaps raise concerns
Alongside the government figures, HETAS released its own research into consumer habits. It found nearly 1 in 10 stove owners either leave two years or more between sweeps or never sweep their chimney at all. A fifth of respondents reported they had never serviced their appliance or were unsure if they had.
“Our latest data reveals some interesting insights into the potential causes of these chimney fires, reiterating the need for our annual awareness campaign; we even discovered that some stove owners weren’t aware their appliance needs regular, ongoing maintenance,” said Calvin May, head of technical & certification at HETAS. “Regularly servicing your solid fuel appliance and sweeping your chimney is essential to help reduce these annual chimney fire figures even further."
"No matter what type of chimney you have or whether it is lined or not, wood-burning stove owners are advised by industry to have their chimneys swept twice a year if they burn wood, and at least once every 12 months if using smokeless fuels. Appliances should be installed by a competent professional and serviced annually, using a HETAS-registered servicing engineer for continued safety and compliance. If a chimney isn’t regularly swept then a sticky, tar-like substance called creosote builds up on the inner walls of the chimney flue – building much more rapidly if the appliance is poorly maintained or the wood isn’t properly seasoned – which can ignite and cause a chimney fire to rapidly spread.”
Fire safety advice
Chimney Fire Safety Week forms part of the Government’s Fire Kills campaign, working with industry and fire and rescue services to promote safe practices.
“Chimney Fire Safety Week is an important reminder that regular sweeping and maintenance are essential in reducing the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning,” commented Jon Quinn, chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council’s home safety committee. “The National Fire Chiefs Council also urge households to fit and test smoke alarms as they provide early warning of a fire and save lives."
"We also recommend installing a carbon monoxide alarm to alert you to poisonous leaks. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms should be tested at least once a month to make sure they are working. By taking these simple steps, families can stay warm and safe as we move into the colder months.”
Dr Nicki Harvey, founder of Dr Sweep in the West Midlands, who has personal experience of carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty gas fire, also urged regular checks. “It's so important to get your chimney and your appliance checked and swept regularly, and to test your smoke and CO alarm,” she said. “By doing so, the stove will work better and more efficiently, it will be cleaner, and most importantly, it will be safer for you and your family. An experienced sweep can offer advice on how best to burn fuel or to use your stove controls. They can also spot and fix any issues early on, giving you peace of mind when using and enjoying your stove.”
Fuel use and regulations
HETAS’ findings also showed that over 1 in 10 stove users either do not check whether their fuel is certified ‘Ready to Burn’ or only check occasionally. A fifth reported growing their own wood, while 4% mentioned cost-of-living pressures as a factor in their choices.
“With the recent energy price cap increase announced by Ofgem, homeowners are continuing to look for cost-effective ways to heat their homes, but when buying fuel for your stove, you must remember to prioritise the safety of your home,” May added. “In England, there are strict government regulations that any wood sold in volumes under 2m³ must be certified as ‘Ready to Burn’, meaning it has a moisture content of 20% or less, and that manufactured solid fuels contain less than 2% sulphur content."
"Both are critical to ensure that these fuels burn efficiently, safely and cleanly – both for the environment and stove users. This not only benefits the lifespan of your appliance but also reduces the risk of chimney fires when burned in a sufficiently maintained stove and alongside a regularly swept chimney.”
