One man has been killed and two houses have been destroyed in separate blazes in Tingha, while a Glen Innes hotel was evacuated on Thursday night when smoke started billowing through the building.

Customers and staff were evacuated from the Great Central Hotel when the fire was sparked in the Grey Street building from a blocked chimney.

About 35 people were forced out during the busy dinner trade, and fire crews found flames and embers coming from the chimney of the two-storey hotel.

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Luckily, the blocked chimney didn't damage the second floor or make it into the roof cavity.

It's just another reason why Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Tom Cooper warns locals can't be complacent.

"This time of year is generally some of the busiest," he told the Leader.

"We generally see a spike in fires concerning heaters; fires in chimneys because they haven't had their chimneys cleaned out; electrical appliances and electric blankets have been pulled out in the change of season. All of that sort of stuff can be a disaster waiting to happen."

May 1 marks the start of a winter fire safety campaign for firefighters in a bid to try and stop more lives or homes being lost should the worst unfold.

"A working smoke alarm is key. It won't stop you from having a fire, but it will give you enough time to get out," Superintendent Cooper said.

"You can even get in touch with your local fire crews and they will come around and check them out for you to make sure they're in working order."

He said many people pull out heaters from the cupboards and "they're covered in dust and they don't clean them before they turn them on or get them checked". And, electric blankets should be checked before they're put on beds.

"We recommend that people roll them up, rather than fold them, because that could create a kink and create resistance, and spark a fire," Superintendent Cooper said.

"A metre matters with heaters and open fires, so keep everything away from them. We had one housefire in Tamworth last year where residents went home and put their fireplace on and there were batteries sitting on top and they started exploding and flying across the room, and sparking smaller fires which caused a lot of damage.

"Chimneys get choked up, so every year get them cleaned or check to ensure there is no blockages.

"For your dryers, clean the lint filter out after every use, and don't overload it.

"And, importantly, outdoor patio heaters, or BBQs can give off carbon monoxide, so remember that anything that is designed for outdoors should stay outdoors, don't bring them inside, ever."

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