Ash burns very well on log fires. We have 'ash die-back' here, and it's affecting all the ash trees, including the rowans. So sad, as they're very attractive in every season.
Many people in our village have wood burners (the smoke is terrible!) because they have no central heating and huddle round the one fire in their sitting room. We use oil, stored in a large tank in the garden, and a boiler to fire our radiators.
The thing about logs is that they must be seasoned for many months to dry out, then they light easily and don't give off too much smoke.
About those slugs, I reckon the blackbirds do eat the smaller, dark-coloured ones. The big orange chappies wouldn't fit in the beaks of their babies. As we've no vegetables growing, the only nuisance is that the fat slobs eat all the cat food which was meant for the birds.