Reducing smoke from chimneys

[BDG]

Smoke is caused by incomplete combustion. No fancy trick or type of stove will leave you smoke free, although they can help; however, if you are clueless, you are going to make smoke. Use dry materials, well seasoned wood, more surface area of wood exposed means a faster and so hotter burn.

All burning newspaper in a chimney does is create draw, pulling air into the fire, which would help in theory, but in practice it is only easy to do on an open fire and you just start drawing air from the room, rather than air through the fire. When I start a woodburner, I use a little scrunched up paper and very dry softwood sticks and good, seasoned wood on that. I do not add the wood until the sticks are burning. Still get a little smoke starting up, but after a few minutes it is done.

The only real reason for pre-warming your flue is to stop the smoke going cold and falling back into the room as Tarrel says.

If it is a small fire outdoors, dry, thin or split sticks. Have a decent amount at hand.