Open fires a hot potato
As temperatures gradually drift downwards and we add another layer of clothing and shake out the fleece wear, it’s also time for the wood fire heating debate to heat up.
There is increasing pushback on open fires in suburban areas, with claims they are a major source of pollution and dangerous for asthma sufferers. in fact Asthma Australia is calling for a gradual phase out of wood heating. It wants any existing open fireplaces removed any time a home is sold and wood heaters banned from new builds.
And while it does kind of make sense – in the way that banning backyard incinerators and burning leaves in gutters makes sense – even talking about banning wood heaters, backyard barbecues and fire pits gains the sort of backlash that no politician anywhere, ever, would consider taking on.
I’m not going to remove my open fireplace anytime soon, are you?
I reckon its unAustralian to suggest such a thing! ????????