the Harriers would need to be real careful just where they set down, as most of her flight deck still had its wood covering.
There are some really enduring and interesting (but incorrect) myths about the effects of the Harrier exhaust. It actually has a remarkably low exhaust gas velocity and temperature by design.
Re temp just think for a moment - the Harrier stands on rubber tyres. That must tell you something.
When a Harrier was taken to a USMC ship for the first time the troops retreated into the island for fear of being blown off their feet into the netting. After I walked through the exhaust of a chained down Harrier being run nozzles aft at full throttle quite close to the tail (albeit leaning into the wind a bit) the deck guys thereafter stood around quite close to the action. I asked one bloke with stripes up his whole arm how he chose his distance from a VL (about 5-10 feet off the wingtip) he replied "So I don't think he will hit me"
BTW the Spanish Navy aircraft carrier Dedalo had a planked wooden deck. The gaps between the planks were sealed from water ingress using a tar kettle. Sometimes gaps would appear and the troops were made to use a blowtorch to soften the pitch and improve the seal. They hated the job. After I did a couple of days ops (with a bit of judicious taxying with the nozzles down) all the seals were perfect and I was their hero.
Dedalo deck:
