Make sure wood burners in good working condition

With home heating costs continuing to climb and personal income continuing to be in a slump, we're all looking for ways to save money.

Heating a home with wood is a viable alternative, but many of the lessons our ancestors learned about its use have been lost over the years.

Friday evening, two people escaped injury but were left homeless when the chimney of a wood burning stove somehow started their McCook home on fire.

They were lucky; each year, thousands of people are killed and many more injured in fires caused by fireplaces and wood stoves.

With a week and a half left in January and several more months of cold weather ahead, there are still many days of potential fire danger ahead, and many opportunities to prevent it.

The National Fire Protection Association offers a few tips:

* Place a shield around your fireplace, preferably glass grates, but at least wire mesh. Make sure the fireplace draws properly so smoke isn't blown back into the living area.

* Make sure the area around the fireplace isn't carpeted. Use a non-combustible hearth such as brick or linoleum.

* Clean out the fireplace regularly, and avoid low, smoky or wet fires that lead to creosote buildup. Maintain a big, hot fire to avoid buildup, and hire a chimney sweep or clean the chimney flue and dampers yourself with a big brush at least once a year.

* Select your wood carefully; cottonwood, maple or elm for bright fires, oak and ash for heat.

Make sure woodburning stoves are properly adjusted before going to bed or leaving the house, and never leave them burning unsupervised if you are unsure. Have them checked regularly to make sure they are in good working order.