[BrianShaw]

I'm far from being an expert on this (and hopefully some of the experts will chime in), but you are assuming correctly - pizza and bread cook on the floor. The ash gets swept away from the cooking area prior to cooking. If you have not done so already, download the e-books that James makes available on this site. They are really good. They show the tools - shovel and brush - that can be used.

EDIT: See section 3 of the e-book: Wood-fired Cooking.

The Forno Bravo site recommends and sells a brass brush for cleaning the ash off the floor prior to putting food in the oven. My local pro cookware shop offers a fiber brush. That seems like it would burn up over time so it might not be a great long term investment. I noticed in a crematory supply company that they offered a stainless steel brush. That might be too abrasive.

I've heard that some people use parchment paper to transfer pizza/bread into oven but I don't. Cornmeal or semolina rubbed on the peel has been enough to keep my bread from sticking.

My old grandmother often said "You have to eat a peck of dirt before you die" so I wouldn't worry about a bit of ash!