Can I burn wood in a gas fireplace that has a copper gas line?

I think your fears are justified. The copper line is not designed to have a wood fire burning on top of it.

Copper was one of the first metals worked precisely because it has such a low melting point.

Don’t do it. A chimney is designed for a specific fuel. The ratio of the front opening to the flue cross section and height is important. If the front is too large you do not get the right the draw up the flue. If you are burning natural gas it does not matter if a little bit gets into your house – think gas stove. If you are burning wood the fumes are acrid and even a small leak will stink up your house and set off your smoke detector.
Look at picture of true wood fireplaces and you will see they are deep and have smaller openings. They also have ash pits in the rear for cleaning. Your gas fireplace won’t have that. It is designed to be visible and not need any clean out. Some of the gas burners don’t even need a vent.
Let me repeat. Don’t do it!

This is a hazardous and dangerous situation. first, i would call the gas company and have the copper line completely removed. second, ask your local fire dept. to come and inspect the chimney and to qualify it to burn wood. after doing this, contact your homeowners insurace agent and advise them of the change and approval by the fire department.

This procedure may sound like it’s involved and it is. but, in order to be on the safe side and be covered for a possible fire, make the moves and notifications.

I did this when my fireplace was installed and everything was covered from all angles.

NO!

Thank you everybody for the great responses. To clarify, it does look like the fireplace and chimney is made for burning wood.( There is a flue, the fireplace is deep and it has an ash pit in the rear.)
When I bought the house, i noticed that the previous owner installed a gas line, once again made of copper. I don’t know why, but he did it.

I will remove the copper line and put in a regular gas line. Does anyone know if at that point I can burn wood, 2–3 inches above the gas line, since the wood would be sitting on a rack?

I’ll call the fire department and have them take a look, and i’ll get a fireplace person to come take a look as well.

Thanks again.

Many wood burning fireplaces are equipped with a gas starter. If I were you I would pick up a local yellow pages, look under “fireplaces”, pick one who is doing a good enough business to have a nice ad (preferably with a better business bureau logo), and have them come out and take a look.

Some of them will even do an evaluation/estimate for free, and even if they charge for the visit it is money well spent if it keeps you from burning down the neighborhood.