There are certain woods, particularly hardwoods such as maple, oak, ash, birch, and most fruit trees, that provide excellent burning woods that will give you a hotter and longer burn time. These woods have the least pitch and sap and are generally cleaner to handle.
To get the best possible burn, firewood needs to be seasoned, which means it needs to dry out. Dry firewood is essential to have an efficient, smooth-running log burner or open fire.