In the late 70s/ early 80s, air-tight woodburning stoves became very popular in the area I lived, largely in response to high oil and electricity prices. For a while it seemed like practically everyone had one. I remember walking outside at night in the winter, when temperature inversions were quite common, and you could feel the wood smoke immediately begin to irritate your lungs and throat. People think tobacco smoke is bad, but it’s got nothing on wood smoke. I’m also uncertain about the economics of it if you don’t have ready access to a good supply of cheap firewood.
I remember the same thing in Colorado. That smoke was horrible. It does make going outside unbearable.