The creature's behavior wasn't really explained well in the game's description and that's my fault. What I meant that it hates the light/warmth is that it's not afraid of the light, but more of the creature despises it and wants to put it out to keep it's environment cold. Will improve on the description in the future. The sticks that you light on fire are used to temporary distract it from you, and I can see how that doesn't make sense when the furnace is a giant pile of burning sticks. I originally was going to have the creature attack the furnace but deemed that too unfair for the player and would make the game more aggravating.
Thanks for playing!