First, is it a wood fireplace or a gas fireplace? You can't burn wood in a gas unit.

If you can burn wood, so what if the power goes out. You use it just like our forefathers did. At least you'll have some heat.

It is wood.

Thanks.

Then burn away, it sure is nice to have heat during a power failure. The heatilator is there to better distribute the heat, not required, you can always turn it off of the room gets too hot.