"mm" wrote

Someone told me a good way to start a draft in a fireplace it to take
one sheet of a newspaper, wad it and roll it at the same time so it
will burn well and is tall with a "handle" at the base, light the top,
and hold it up inside the fireplace, close to the chimney.

Shouldnt be needed actually.

But someone told me the newspaper thing is not a good idea. True? and
if true, why not?

Ash and creosote development. It's possible to ignite the chiney that way
if it hasnt been cleaned properly. However, if you burn only hard woods (no
pines etc) and have an annual professional cleaning, it might be ok. Might
be best to just call your local chiney cleaners and ask. This is probably a
free question.

BTW, if you have been trying to 'DIY' chimney clean, you may be in for some
pretty severe issues. Although if can be done, unless you have the right
gear and really know what you are doing, thats a common cause of house
fires.

In my case, I have a steel fireplace with galvanized chimney, and an
iron log rack.

I can hazard a guess that your log rack is too far to the front. You may
need to shift to more towards the back a few inches to gain a proper draft
with no need for the paper trick up the chimney.