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A wood burning fireplace is great addition to a home and can be a good source of supplemental heat, but it will emit more pollutants into the air if the fire isn’t built properly. To minimize wood smoke pollution from a fireplace or woodstove there a few tricks you can try. Try manufactured logs… they burn cleaner than wood logs and tend to last longer even if they don’t have as much charm. If you do use wood, burn only dry seasoned wood. Start a small fire using softwoods and add larger hardwood logs after the fire is going. Don’t burn garbage, glossy paper, or wood that has been painted or chemically treated. Remember, excessive smoke is a sign that your fire wasn’t lighted properly or isn’t being burned correctly.