Cedar burns hot & fast, but alder gives a longer burn usually. I used cedar to start the fire & alder to keep it going for the night. And as mentioned above, its the sap in the wood that's popping. I think really dry wood is less likely to pop like that, since most of the moisture is already evaporated out of the logs.
Enjoy your wood-fireplace. I lived in Powell River in a trailer by a fish farm in the mountains for 2 years & my main heat source in the winter was an old wood stove, so learning to bank a fire properly so the wood burns all night was a necessity.
Anthony
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If you see it, can take care of it, better get it or put it on hold. Otherwise, it'll be gone & you'll regret it!
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