Over at Cornell Dr. Calderone got me using wood pellets for smoker fuel.  I
hadn't heard of this before, but since I heat my home with hardwood pellets
anyway, I usually have them around, and now I prefer them for the
smoker,too.
 
You have to get a good hot fire going first, with paper/pine needles/twine
or whatever, but then the pellets get going easily after they are dumped in
on top.
A loose clump of grass over all will help to keep hot pellets from rolling
out if you tip the smoker downward (like at the entrances).
 
It lasts a long time between fuelings, a real plus, and a smoker will often
still be going the next morning.  It may look dead, but a few good puffs on
the bellows brings it back in short order.  Re-load and off you go.
 
The pellets disintegrate after a while, probably due to the moisture given
off by burning, but continue to smolder fine even so.
 
If you have access to them, you might give this fuel a try...