Residents Urged to Clean Up Their Fireplaces

FOLLOWING air quality complaints, the Upper Hunter Shire will be issuing letters to 750 Scone households warning them of the health impacts of excessively smoking chimneys and advising residents on better wood fire efficiency.

The Upper Hunter Shire Council has advised residents to:

• clean the flue each year;
• burn only dry, aged hardwood;
• open the door slightly when adding wood to allow adequate airflow. This will let the wood catch alight quicker. A hot fire produces less smoke;
• don’t let your wood-fire smolder and
• check regularly for excess wood smoke coming from your chimney.

Keep fireplaces in good working order to reduce woodsmoke, urges Upper Hunter Shire Council.

The Council has said wood smoke particles from excessively smoking chimneys impact on residents with respiratory conditions such as asthma, older people and young children.

“As temperatures drop, the incorrect use of wood fire heaters can seriously affect our air quality and be bad for our neighbours’ health and our own families,” said Mat Pringle, director of environmental and community services for the Council. 

“We can all help reduce the amount of woodsmoke pollution by using aged dry wood and effective wood heaters.”

For more information on efficient wood heater use visit the Environmental Protection Agency website or contact Mat Pringle from Council on 02 6540 1139.