What I've have found that works for me is:
1.) Start with a little burning newspaper
2.) Add a little kindling lying around from splitting firewood for winter
3.) And when that gets going, I toss on a few charcoal briquets
4.) Then, while I ready everything else
5.) When I need smoke, I've got a nice "hot" bed of coals that produce
lots of smoke as soon as I throw just about anything on them!

No, I haven't noticed any detrimental effects from the briquets on the
bees (toxic off gassing)

For what it's worth......

Ed Heinlein
Helena, MT

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