Why would run with the damper closed? Seems like a recipe for trouble. On the last woodstove I had I'd get occasional little "poofs" as the gases in the stove built up and ignited. But nothing like what you got.
I have at times loaded my firebox with wood a couple of hours before I wanted to light it. Yes, the high heat in the masonry does a great job of making the next fire burn great and easy to start. Too easy to start, I had a few light off before I wanted them to. The smallest amount of embers is all it needed.
I stumbled across it a handful of years back at a saw shop in Fairbanks. I have been reading mine at least twice a year for 4-5 years now. It’s a good read, pickup on something new every read.
