A system for inerting a biomass feed assembly the system including a combustion chamber operably connected to the biomass feed assembly to receive a biofuel, the combustion chamber operable to combust the biofuel and generate a flue gas therefrom and a conduit operably coupled to at least one of the combustion chamber and an inert gas source, and the biomass feed assembly, the conduit operable to carry a gas to the biomass feed assembly. The gas sweeps dust generated in at least the gravity chute assembly toward the combustion chamber and the gas maintains an oxygen partial pressure or concentration in the at least a portion of the biomass feed assembly below a selected threshold sufficient to suppress ignition.