I moved into a house with a vented gas fireplace and gas logs.
Beneath the grate holding up the logs there were vermiculite granules
in a pan which covered the gas vents.

My wife wanted me to remove the vermiculite since she didn't like
how it looked, and wanted to use the fireplace without it.

When I run the fireplace the flame jets exhaust downward on either
side of the feed pipe, hitting the pan (now with no vermiculite in it).

Is it safe to run the fireplace like this, or should I put vermiculite back
in it?