No, you can’t use your fireplace at all time. The weather is actually an important factor in dispersing the wood smoke into the environment. Do not light the fire when there is no wind or during a misty day. The smoke gases might remain in the house and that is harmful to your health and to your neighbours’ health. Wind force of 2 or less on the Beaufort Scale is considered windless weather. The Stoking Guide (Stookwijzer) will give you an indication of the stoking conditions in your area.
Online advice: stoke or not stoke
If there is no wind, the polluted air will remain hanging longer. Also the smoke from your chimney. The Stoking Guide advises you whether it is sensible to stoke wood. That advice is based on the air quality index of Dutch National Institute for Public Health & the Environment (Dutch: RIVM) in combination wit the actual wind speed. The air quality index gives the status of air quality per square kilometre in a particular area. The air quality is sub-divided into five air quality categories (unit in microgram per mᵌ of air), based on the health effects of particulates, ozone and nitrogen dioxide. Every hour the information on the Stoking Guide is refreshed.
