Wood fired grills produce that undeniably incredible, mouth watering smell that just makes you think YUM, no matter what is cooking. However they also produce millions of burning embers and creosote. Creosote is the vapor burning or smoldering wood releases that reforms as a tar when cooled. Mixed with grease it forms a new substance that has a very low flash point. Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a substance gives off a flammable vapor, and for this mixture it is 165 degrees fahrenheit. When you cook over an open flame a lot of heat is produced, and so temperatures can quickly exceed 165. This is why restaurants likes Firebirds have their hoods cleaned (at least) monthly and they clean their filters daily. Hood filters must be kept clean and free of grease clogs to prevent heat building up in the exhaust system. Additionally they use special filters, called Spark Arrestors, to prevent large burning embers from entering their exhaust system. As long as people lo
