They immediately put out the fire and began to investigate, noticing a dark shape moving up towards the baffle.

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Baffled, they immediately called Wildcare Queanbeyan who sent Diane, a trained and experienced Wildcare Rescuer, to attend the scene.

"I wasn't sure what I was going to find," she said.

"When you get call outs like this, you never know what is hiding in there."

Upon investigation a brush-tailed possum was found hiding in the chimney. Diane dismantled the baffle to get access to the injured possum and upon later assessment by a vet, it was found to be suffering from smoke inhalation and burnt lungs as well as serious burns to its tail and feet.

Had the residents not acted so quickly, the outcome may have been much worse. This possum remained in Diane's care for many months, initially visiting the vet daily for dressing changes to the burns.

After it was successfully rehabilitated, the possum was released back into the wild.

Animals of many different species can become trapped in fireplaces, flues, and chimneys. Birds and microbats can fly in by mistake and end up inside your home.

Possums can take up residence and whole families of Krefft's gliders are sometimes found. This is the result of humans encroaching on their habitat and displacing them from their usual homes.

Melissa at Bungendore Landscape and Rural Supplies, who deliver firewood, was not surprised by the tale of the possum in the chimney.

She stated the importance of ensuring your chimney is clean and free of blockages before lighting it.

"Chimneys and flues must be free of any obstruction and checked regularly," she said.

Wildcare receives calls for wildlife trapped in chimneys and flues all year round. They can be death traps with possums, birds, and microbats unable to escape.

Wildcare Rescuer Liz was recently called out twice to rescue Welcome Swallows trapped in the same firebox of a Bungendore resident.

Welcome Swallows are a much-loved small Australian bird. They have beautiful colours and tapered wings that people often spot when they see their spectacular acrobatics as they catch insects mid-air.

Many of us choose to live in this region to be closer to nature and living in an area inhabited by wildlife is a wonderful experience. In order to share the environment safely with animals there are a few simple things you can do to enable you to enjoy a fire in your home.

The best prevention is to cover any entry into a chimney or flue with fine mesh. Check the mesh regularly to ensure it is in a good state of repair and to ensure there is not an accumulation of soot on it, a potential fire hazard.

It is important not to let animals explore your fireplace, chimney, flue and roof cavity.

Wildcare Queanbeyan can be contacted on 6299 1966. You an speak to one of the Helpline volunteers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for advice regarding any native wildlife in need of assistance.

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