The correct lighting of the fireplace after the summer break is closely related to the proper operation of the chimney in the house. When cleaning the chimney, always check if there are creosote buildups or flue blockage, such as from bird nests or other animals. The flue should be clean and cleaned so the fireplace can get going when the wood is lit.
This concerns the properties of the chimney draft. The chimney can only transport smoke to the outside, i.e., upwards through the flue, if the air column in the chimney flue is warmer than the outside air. If the fireplace has not been used for a long time, for example, because it has been continuously warm throughout the summer, it can easily happen that the air outside is warmer than the air inside the chimney. But then no negative pressure can develop; in the worst case, smoke will migrate into the living room!
To avoid this, frequently check your chimney. After lighting the wood, open the fire door of the fireplace slightly. Do you feel a draft? Then everything is fine. If not, check the chimney damper. If the air there flows from top to bottom, stop your flame and light a pre-heat fire at the bottom of the fireplace. Wood wool or newspaper rolls (1 page at a time) are recommended.
Thanks to the pre-heat fire, the air column in the flue is heated, and the stove gets a real draft again.