That fireplace you plan on lighting up for the holidays may cost you a fine rather than bringing you coziness. Yes, the fireplace is a tradition and brings up nostalgia. But along with those old memories it also brings up an old way of polluting. Burning wood causes smog, insufficient heat and wastes wood. Burning wood, is just as guilty for causing global warming as any other fuel. Governments are starting to understand that we need to start preventing chimney fires to bring down smog. So strong is the call for such action that some cities have banned wood burning. San Francisco, that American beacon of progressive thought, is driving that point home by charging a $2000 fine on anyone who burns wood on certain days of the winter. In the Bay Area wood burning is the cause of about one-third of the particulate pollution during winter nights . The aim of the ban is to reduce the number of particulates created by smoke.

If you still just want that wood fire look, then just use this youtube video for a Merry Christmas on your monitor:
Along with chemical releases, the pollutants can effect both people inside the house or outside, such as neighbours. The government of Ontario warns its citizens, "Of particular concern is the release of fine particles, which can cause burning eyes, runny nose, and bronchitis. They can aggravate heart or respiratory problems, including asthma. All ages are affected, but the greatest risk is to the health of children, the elderly and people with chronic conditions." Furthermore, if trees are cut down for the sole purpose of wood, they add to the overall effect of global warming.