Anyone know anything about the combustibles that are expelled from wood as it heats up? I mean, are there predominantly alcohols, aromatic hydrocarbons, straight chain hydrocarbons, something else? As fresh wood is burned one can see the flammable vapors being given out, and at some point they are all gone and there is only hot charcoal (mainly carbon) left, but I'd be interested in knowing what's happening in my fireplace before that stage.
