A warm, friendly fireplace can be kept safe by observing a few rules:

Burn wood, not trash in your fireplace. Except for starting a fire, do not put paper in the fireplace unless you've followed the directions for making safe "paper logs".

Never use charcoal starter, lighter fluid or gasoline to ignite a fire.

Creosote, an oily liquid with a penetrating odor, can coat the inside of a chimney and form a hazardous build-up. Seasoned wood (split logs that have been left to dry under cover for a least six months) has less creosote than unseasoned wood and therefore is less likely to damage your chimney and give off offensive odors. Hardwoods (i.e. maples, poplars and oaks) produce less creosote than soft woods such as pine. Soft wood also gives off more ash, reducing the fire's heat and causing huge quantities of soot that hamper log burning.

Burn "pressed" logs only in an open fireplace, never in a closed stove. Pressed logs, the kind sold in stores give off higher heat than natural logs, so the specific safety instructions must be followed carefully.

Fireplaces should be inspected annually for creosote build-up and structural damage to chimneys. Put chimney caps in place to keep out small animals and birds.

The flue should be open when you start your fireplace, because smoke from the burning logs can fill up the house when the flue is closed. As a reminder, attach an iron ornament to the flue pull that shows when the flue is open. Use a fireplace screen to prevent embers and sparks from spraying past the hearth and burning people, animals and rugs. Teach curious small children (and pets) to stay away from the burning fire.