01/20/2026
WHY WARMER WINTERS MEAN HIGHER CHIMNEY FIRE RISK
By GorgeTrade Residential Services
(Cascade Sweeps & Mike Sandoz Construction)
Most people associate chimney fires with extreme cold, long burn nights, and overworked wood stoves. But this winter has prompted local professionals to sound a different warning: warmer winters can quietly increase chimney fire risk, often without homeowners realizing it.
Recently, the Goldendale Fire Department responded to a chimney fire that resulted in the total loss of a home. While tragic, the incident highlights a lesser-known reality about wood-burning systems: warmer winters can actually increase chimney fire risk, especially when burn habits adjust in ways that feel efficient but quietly create danger.
THE IMPETUS FOR THE STORY
The impetus for this story began with a troubling pattern emerging in the field.
Levi Beckman, owner of GorgeTrade Residential Services, says that over the past several months he has seen a noticeable increase in calls from homeowners reporting chimney fires after the fact, many of which were never reported to fire departments.
“We had a chimney fire last night, but it burned itself out so we didn’t call the fire department,” Beckman said. “We’re hearing versions of that more often than people might expect.”
In the past year, Beckman has acquired two long-standing chimney businesses in the Columbia River Gorge: Cascade Sweeps, which served the region for roughly 30 years, and the stove and chimney division of Frederick Mike Sandoz Construction, another three-decade operation.
As part of that transition, Mike Sandoz, founder of the latter business, stayed on as a partner and master technician. Together, Cascade Sweeps and the stove and chimney division of Frederick Mike Sandoz Construction represent well over half a century of chimney and stove service in the Gorge, with Sandoz remaining on as a partner and master technician while Beckman brings a year of hands-on trade experience alongside decades of community leadership as a pastor, coach, mentor, chamber ambassador, and software engineer.
“Having that long historical view matters,” Beckman said. “When you suddenly have insight into 60 years of burn seasons, patterns start to emerge.”
CONNECTING THE DOTS WITH FIRE OFFICIALS
As the unreported chimney fire calls increased, Beckman began reaching out to fire officials across the region to ask whether they were seeing similar patterns.
Those conversations coincided with news of a recent house fire in Goldendale tied to a chimney fire. For Beckman, the convergence of elevated anecdotal reports, confirmation from fire officials, and a total-loss incident made it clear that the risk was not hypothetical.
“Yes, we’re in the business of chimney maintenance,” Beckman said. “But the danger here is deceptive. People genuinely think they are safer in warmer winters, when in reality they’re often creating more risk. That’s what pushed us to speak up.”
THE DECEPTIVE DANGER OF WARMER WINTERS
During milder winter seasons, many homeowners burn their stoves differently. Fires tend to be smaller and cooler. Air controls are often turned down to stretch firewood and avoid overheating the home.
From a combustion standpoint, this changes the balance of heat, fuel, and oxygen. When airflow is restricted, fires do not burn completely. Instead of fully combusting, wood breaks down and releases unburned fuel particles.
Those particles travel up the chimney and condense along the flue walls as creosote, a highly flammable substance and the primary fuel source for chimney fires.
In colder winters, hotter fires often burn cleaner. In warmer winters, cooler, oxygen-starved fires can actually produce creosote faster, even when overall burn time feels reduced.
A COMMON MISCONCEPTION ABOUT NEWER STOVES
Mike Sandoz says one of the most common misunderstandings he encounters today involves newer wood stoves and inserts.
“People assume that because a stove is newer, it must automatically be safer,” Sandoz said. “And in a lot of ways that’s true. Newer units are more efficient and better engineered. But efficiency doesn’t eliminate risk if the stove is being operated the wrong way.”
Sandoz explained that the same combustion principles apply regardless of the age of the appliance.
“If you choke a fire down to make it burn longer or keep the house from overheating, you’re still starving it of oxygen,” he said. “That breaks the fire triangle, and unburned fuel has to go somewhere. It goes up the chimney and sticks to the walls as creosote.”
According to Sandoz, this means newer stoves can still accumulate dangerous buildup when burn habits shift during warmer winters.
“I’ve seen plenty of newer systems load up faster than people expect,” he said. “It’s not just about how old the stove is. It’s about how it’s being used.”
The takeaway, Sandoz said, is awareness.
“Whether your stove is old or brand new, how you run it matters,” he said. “Burn habits make the difference. When winters are warmer, people change how they burn, and that’s where the risk sneaks in.”
A VETERAN’S PERSPECTIVE
Mike Sandoz says this is not a new phenomenon, but it is one many homeowners overlook.
“I’ve seen this cycle over and over for the last 30 years,” Sandoz said. “When we get deep freezes, people burn hotter, cleaner fires. When winters are warmer, people choke their stoves down and think they’re being efficient. What they don’t realize is that they’re often creating more buildup and more risk.”
“The dangerous part is that nothing looks wrong,” he added. “The stove is working. The house is warm. But the chimney is quietly loading up.”
Mike Sandoz says this is not a new phenomenon, but it is one many homeowners overlook.
“I’ve seen this cycle over and over for the last 30 years,” Sandoz said. “When we get deep freezes, people burn hotter, cleaner fires. When winters are warmer, people choke their stoves down and think they’re being efficient. What they don’t realize is that they’re often creating more buildup and more risk.”
“The dangerous part is that nothing looks wrong,” he added. “The stove is working. The house is warm. But the chimney is quietly loading up.”
FIRE OFFICIALS ARE SEEING THE IMPACT
In conversations with several area fire chiefs and emergency responders, a consistent theme has emerged: chimney fires appear to be occurring more frequently this season than many homeowners realize.
Fire officials have noted that while reported chimney fires are up, official numbers likely underrepresent the true scope of the issue. Many chimney fires are never formally reported, either because they burn themselves out, are extinguished by homeowners, or do not immediately spread beyond the chimney system. As a result, these incidents often never enter official fire statistics, even though they still pose significant risk.
Fire officials have also emphasized that homeowners are often unaware of how insurance policies treat chimney-related incidents. Many policies include negligence clauses tied to routine maintenance and safe operation. In cases where a chimney fire occurs and deferred maintenance or non-compliant installations are identified, homeowners may face unexpected financial exposure during claims or investigations.
Together, these factors point to a larger issue: the absence of a fire engine does not mean the absence of danger, and unreported chimney fires can still carry serious structural, financial, and safety consequences.
ANOTHER SIDE OF RISK: AGING STOVES AND CHANGING HOMES
Risk does not stop at chimney maintenance alone. Changes inside the home and the age of heating appliances themselves can quietly introduce new hazards.
Chris Welvaert, owner of True Gorge Stoves & Spas in Hood River, says many of the issues he encounters today stem from stoves that were installed decades ago, in homes that have since changed significantly.
“Twenty- to thirty-year-old wood stoves can easily become oversized as homes get more efficient,” Welvaert explained. “When homeowners replace windows and doors or add insulation in attics or walls, the stove’s heating capacity may be more than the home actually needs.”
When that happens, Welvaert says, homeowners often respond by running the stove at lower temperatures.
“That leads to the unit being burned low more often than not,” he said. “Lower burn temperatures create more creosote buildup in the chimney, and that’s where chimney fires start.”
Welvaert also pointed to installation practices that were common in the 1980s and 1990s but are now widely understood to be problematic.
“We still see a lot of face-sealed wood inserts that were installed without a stainless steel chimney liner,” he said. “That creates two major risks. First, it’s very difficult to be sure all the creosote is properly cleaned out. Second, many older brick chimneys only have a single layer of brick, which allows heat to transfer through the masonry. Over time, the surrounding wood framing can actually self-ignite.”
According to Welvaert, installing a modern stainless steel liner can dramatically reduce that risk.
“By simply installing a stainless steel liner, a homeowner can turn an extremely dangerous system into a much safer one,” he said.
Welvaert added that appliance age itself is a major safety consideration.
“It’s typical to start thinking about replacing a wood stove around the 20-year mark,” he said. “Once a firebox cracks, you can’t properly control the burn rate, and clearances can become compromised. If replacement parts become obsolete or unavailable, safety can be jeopardized.”
While Welvaert focused on performance and safety concerns, professionals note that homeowners also carry responsibility for ensuring their appliances meet current safety and regulatory standards. As building codes, EPA emissions rules, and clearance requirements evolve, older or improperly installed systems may no longer meet today’s expectations, particularly during insurance reviews or home sales.
WHAT A CHIMNEY FIRE ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE
Many people imagine chimney fires as slow, smoldering events. In reality, they can be sudden, violent, and explosive.
Earlier this season, GorgeTrade shared a video showing a controlled chimney fire using a heavily built-up chimney pipe that had been removed during a new installation. Even in a controlled setting, the intensity and force of the ignition was striking.
If you would like to see that example, you can find it here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17i97yNyE5/
In a home, that same force can compromise liners, crack masonry, ignite framing, or send embers onto roofing materials.
PREVENTION IS SIMPLER THAN RECOVERY
The good news is that chimney fires and compliance issues are largely preventable.
Regular inspections, appropriate burn practices, timely maintenance, and ensuring appliances meet current standards dramatically reduce risk. The challenge is recognizing when conditions warrant attention, even if nothing appears outwardly wrong.
This winter is one of those times.
A PRACTICAL CALL TO ACTION
Homeowners who rely on wood heat should consider:
• Having their chimney inspected if burn habits have shifted
• Scheduling maintenance if fires have been cooler or longer than usual
• Confirming that older appliances meet current EPA and clearance requirements
• Not assuming that “working” means “safe” or “compliant”
GorgeTrade Residential Services is offering a range of maintenance and inspection options, including a reduced-rate mid-season safety sweep for customers already served earlier this winter, intended as a proactive check rather than a repeat of prior work.
A COMMUNITY-FIRST MESSAGE
This message is about sharing information that many homeowners do not realize applies to them, so they can make informed decisions before problems arise.
Chimney fires rarely announce themselves. They build quietly until conditions are right. By understanding how warmer winters, changing burn habits, and evolving safety standards interact, homeowners can make informed decisions that protect their homes, families, and neighbors.
As Beckman put it:
“The danger isn’t always obvious. That’s what makes it dangerous.”
For readers seeking additional information or professional guidance, the following local service providers can be contacted:
GorgeTrade Residential Services
(Cascade Sweeps & Mike Sandoz Construction)
(541) 296-1990
cascadesweep.com
True Gorge Stoves & Spas
(541) 387-2526
truegorge.com
