[wastedyears]

Depends where you live. Around here a lot of the winter are no burn days. The chimney police go around looking for smoke coming from your chimney. If they find it, they take a picture and send you a citation.

How are supposed to stay warm then?

[Hugin]

Where’s “here”?

Sacramento county, CA. Pretty much the same deal in any metro area in CA I think. When there's no breeze they declare a "spare the air day" and you can't burn. It's for the children!

How are supposed to stay warm then?

Gas or electric. There is an exemption if your stove or fireplace is your only source of heat, but of course that would be against building codes in any metro area. Now they want to ban installing any new wood burning fireplaces or stoves at all.