A Friday night chimney fire marked the second in less than three weeks in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Santa Barbara County firefighters were dispatched at about 9:30 p.m. to the 2100 block of Dermanak Drive in Solvang, fire Capt. Scott Safechuck said.

They arrived to find a fire on the roof near the chimney box of a large two-story home, west of Alamo Pintado Road.

Light smoke had entered the house, but no one was injured, Safechuck said. The residents had evacuated before firefighters arrived.

Crews knocked down the blaze in about 20 minutes and remained at the scene for mop-up operations, Safechuck said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Friday’s blaze came less than three weeks after a Feb. 22 chimney fire at a residence in the 3000 block of Figueroa Mountain Road in Santa Ynez.

No one was injured in the earlier fire, which also remains under investigation, Safechuck added. 

A fireplace also was blamed for a blaze that damaged a Montecito fire station last month.

To help prevent chimney fires, firefighters say residents should ensure the structures undergo regular inspection and cleaning.

Click here for other chimney safety tips.

The switch to daylight saving time on Sunday has prompted reminders from fire officials to check and replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Those alarms also should be replaced every 10 years, according to recommendations.