A gas fire appliance having a casing with a rear face at which a plurality of alumina flame effect burner tubes are supported, the tubes extending through a ceramic deflector plate supported over the rear face and lying behind a solid fuel simulating element which is relatively steeply raked to be visible through an adjacent front glass panel of the appliance. A dual-section main heater burner with a pair of metallic flame effect burners secured to one side thereof is positioned below the solid fuel simulating element, the flames therefrom being deflected upwardly by the plate. A gas control knob is operable to turn on all the burners or to select various ones thereof only as required. The steep rake of the fuel bed ensures that the visual appearance of the appliance is enhanced by fully presenting the working area and the alumina burner tubes positioned in the high temperature fuel bed ensure an effective living flame effect of high efficiency.