Stacking logs beside your wood burning stove might look attractive and seem like a convenient way to keep firewood close to hand. However, storing logs too close to your log burner can pose a serious fire risk, even when they are not touching the stove.
At Bonfire, we’re often asked about the best ways to store firewood. While a neatly stacked pile of logs can complement a fireplace, keeping combustible materials at a safe distance from your stove is essential.
Can Logs Catch Fire Just from the Heat of a Stove?
Yes. Wood burning stoves are designed to radiate heat into your room, and that heat can cause nearby combustible materials, including firewood, to become dangerously hot.
Wood doesn’t need to come into direct contact with a flame to ignite. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can cause timber to undergo a process called pyrolysis, where heat gradually breaks down the wood and releases flammable gases.
This is why logs should never be stacked against the sides of a working stove or placed too close to exposed flue pipes.
Fire Services Have Reported Real Incidents
This isn’t just a theoretical risk.
In December 2021, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service attended two separate incidents involving wood burning stoves and warned homeowners about the dangers of storing and drying logs nearby.
The service specifically highlighted how radiated heat increases the likelihood of stored firewood catching fire.
Similarly, London Fire Brigade advises homeowners to store logs away from solid fuel burners because radiated heat can cause them to ignite.
How Far Away Should You Store Firewood?
There is no single safe distance that applies to every wood burning stove.
Different appliances have different clearance requirements, depending on their construction, heat output and installation.
Always follow the manufacturer’s specified distances to combustible materials, which can usually be found in your stove’s installation instructions.
For safe firewood storage, we recommend:
- Keeping logs well away from the stove body and flue pipe.
- Using a dedicated log basket or storage area outside the required clearance distances.
- Never placing firewood directly against a working stove.
- Keeping your hearth clear of loose logs, kindling and other combustible materials.
- Only using a built-in log store where the stove manufacturer has specifically designed and approved it for that purpose.
Our Advice at Bonfire
A wood burning stove should be enjoyed safely, and something as simple as where you store your logs can make a real difference.
If you’re planning a new stove installation, it’s worth considering firewood storage as part of the overall fireplace design, rather than as an afterthought.
At Bonfire, our in-house HETAS registered installation team can advise on suitable clearances, fireplace layouts and safe installation practices.
Looking to install a wood burning stove? Visit our fireplace and stove showroom near Reading, Berkshire, or request a free, no-obligation quotation.
