Valley Springs, CA — A chimney/flue fire in the Rancho Calaveras – Valley Springs area of Calaveras County last night has local fire officials reminding the public of proper maintenance.
On Thursday (1/9) evening, Calaveras Consolidated Fire (CCF) crews responded to the area of Baldwin Street, south of Highway 26 for a report of a chimney fire. When firefighters arrived on the scene, luckily the homeowner had already put out the flames, which did not spread to other areas of the house, including the attic.
The picture in the image box shows what firefighters discovered: thick black soot blocking the home’s chimney, revealing one of the key ignitors of flue fires, creosote. It is a by-product of the incomplete combustion of wood that builds up on the sides of a chimney. It starts as a liquid and later condenses into a solid…