On Sun, 29 Oct 2006 16:40:17 -0500, "Don Phillipson"
wrote:

"Stubby" wrote in message
...

I did nearly 30 years ago. The little box stove was very hot. Then
I started hearing the airflow. It got loud and I cut the air intake
totally although I wasn't totally sure that I was having a chimney fire.
After a few minutes it stopped. I didn't call the Fire Dept but
probably should have. [Neighbors told me flames were shooting up 30
feet and airplanes were avoiding the area. :-)]

Modern building codes for woodstove steel chimneys
require that they withstand temperatures of 2000 Fahr.
Normal burning is in the range 200-500 and creosote
fires in chimneys commonly exceed 1000 Fahr. If you
are sure your chimney is OK, some firemen recommend
a chimney fire as the fastest way to clean it. The sound
is terrifying but seldom lasts more than 10 minutes. The
main danger is more probably sparks on the roof than
overheating interior structures -- but only if you are sure
your chimney is in good condition, double-walled, etc.

We had two such fires in 12 years and this is what
the firemen told us. They did not mind being called out
although both times they arrived long after the chimney
fire had exhausted itself.

If you *DO* have a chimney fire, you shouldn't
burn in that stove/fireplace again until
someone inspects the chimney.

And no, you shouldn't ever start a chimney
fire on purpose.