MICHIGAN — Fireplace season is heating up in Michigan and many homeowners are lighting real or gas logs for the first time since spring. But before you gather the family around the fireplace, safety officials say you should make sure it is not going to be a fire hazard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, cpsc.gov, estimates that 22,300 structural fires annually in the U.S. were the result of fireplace chimney problems. Anthony Sweet at Oakland Community College’s Fire Training Institute said the fireplace is often neglected when it comes to winter maintenance. “Too many people light their fireplace this time of year without ever performing any safety maintenance on it, and that can lead to serious consequences,” he said. To eliminate the potential for disaster when using a fireplace, Sweet recommends following these seven tips before you use it for the first time this season: 1. Have Chimney Cleaned and Inspected: If you have a wood-burning fireplace, you should have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually by a licensed chimney specialist to get rid of the soot and creosote that builds up and make sure there are no other issues, such as cracks or ...