Can I 'cool' bark chippings in the oven to sterilise it?

[LaurieFairyCake]

I potted up some orchids in a big pot using bark . It's not bloody sterile and has thousands of tiny flies on it

So starting again can I cook it in the oven to kill the larvae ?

Mmmm, dead larvae in your oven?? I wouldn't!

I'd suspect the soil and over watering

There's no soil. Just got the bark this week from the garden centre. Only tiny amount of water as it's just orchids.

Ok, cooking the chippings worked and it's all potted up again - no flies now