Owners of wood burners are being urged to take extra care following two house fires in as many weeks.

Crews from Horsham were called to a semi-detached property in West Grinstead Sunday afternoon.  Logs for the wood burner had been stored too close to the appliance and they caught alight.

The fire was contained to the kitchen and one man suffered smoke inhalation.

Earlier this month, however, a bungalow in Copthorne was left severely damaged following a wood burner incident.  It took three fire crews to bring the blaze under control.

Advice from West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service can be found on the Susy Radio website.

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service offers the following advice:

• Ensure your fire is fully extinguished before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Make sure your appliance is installed and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Only burn dry seasoned wood that has been split properly. Don’t use wood that has been rained on or is damp. If it got wet in the rain, take small amounts inside to dry out before putting it on the fire.
• Chimneys should be swept before the start of each heating season and should also be inspected regularly.
• Do not stack logs or place any other combustible materials immediately adjacent to the stove or boiler.
• Ensure that you have a working smoke detector installed on each level of your home.

For further fire safety advice visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire