Cold weather doesn't cause chimney fires, but there's a definite correlation between the two.
Egg Harbor Fire Chief Steve Schopf -- whose crews responded to a chimney fire Monday -- says when temperatures plummet, people stoke up their fireplaces and wood stoves and if their chimneys aren't clean they can run into problems.
Schopf says if chimneys haven't been cleaned it's often difficult to tell there's a problem until it's too late.
The chief says he recommends having chimneys inspected and cleaned at least once a year. He says burning drier wood can help too because it won't lead to as much creosote build-up.
Schopf says Monday's fire was minor and didn't appear to cause any damage.
But that didn't make the weather any warmer for the firefighters working on the roof in whipping winds and sub-zero temperatures.
"It was cold and breezy up there," says Schopf. "Hard to do your job when it's that cold."
