Fast pyrolysis of wood was conducted in a drop tube furnace to study the influence of temperature (1000–1200–1400°C) and particle size (0.35–0.80mm) for a particle residence time of some seconds. No effect of particle size has been observed on final pyrolysis products. At 1000°C, much more gas and tar are produced than char (yield of 96% versus 4%); hydrocarbons, including light species and tar, present a considerable yield of 26%. From 1200°C, the drastic hydrocarbons decomposition, emphasized with temperature, leads to high yields in soot, H₂ and CO. At 1200°C, no tar are detected; at 1400°C only low amounts of CH₄ and C₂H₂ still remain. Under the explored conditions, char and soot gasification with H₂O and CO₂, species produced during pyrolysis, is kinetically blocked. However, even if carbonaceous solids do not seem to be considerably affected by gasification, they suffer some changes when temperature is increased.