Yep, about 2 years ago someone on this site (I think they were in Canada IIRC) had a bad fire in their house from a clogged dryer vent. Just prior to that time I had thought our trusty old dryer had bit the dust and was ready to go buy a new one. The wife suggested that I check the vent hose...I took it off and could not believe how much lint was stuck inside there
Made a huge pile on the basement floor. Cleaned it all out and the dryer worked like new again. Those dryer fabric softener sheets gum everything up and make a mess...we don't use them any more.