Fireplaces are essential for cozy winter mornings or romantic evenings in. They can be a practical source of heat, give off faint light for some late-night reading, or just contribute to a relaxed atmosphere for an evening lounging at home or entertaining guests. But when the chapter ends, the guests shuffle out, or you and your partner finish off that bottle of chardonnay, you can’t just abandon a roaring fire—it could send your house up in flames if left unchecked.
So what do you do when the flames are still flickering well past bedtime? We’ll walk you through how to put out a fire in a fireplace in just a few easy steps.
Prepping to Put Out a Fire
For starters, the absolute best way to put out a fire in a fireplace is to let it burn out on its own. There’s no effort required on your part here, but it may take several hours—and you need to stay present (and awake!) until it’s completely burned out.
To make the process go faster, stop feeding fuel (i.e. adding logs) to the fire long before you’re ready to put it out. If you’re yawning as you debate throwing on another log, set the log back down and save it for another night.
Wondering how to put out a fire in a fireplace quickly if you don’t have a few hours to spare? With our guide, you’ll have those flames out and be off to bed in just five easy steps.
Note: Never use water to put out a fire quickly. Dousing a fire in water will lead to a huge cloud of smoke, and the resulting steam could even burn you. Water is also bad for the masonry of your fireplace in the long term. Only use water (or, preferably, a fire extinguisher) in emergencies.
If you have firefighter gloves (available online and in hardware stores), put them on. These will protect your skin when reaching into the fireplace. Avoid wearing loose clothing, especially on your arms and torso.
Assuming you’ve waited a little bit of time since you last added fuel to the fire, begin to spread out the embers and any remaining fuel (wood or paper, for instance) with your fire poker. Flatten the embers and fuel as much as possible to start cooling the fire.
Note: Do not use random sticks, mops, brooms, or any other poles around the house; your fireplace poker is specifically designed and fire-rated for this task.
Shovel Cool Ashes Onto the Embers and Fuel
Give the spread-out ashes a little time to cool off. Then take your fireplace shovel and heap the coolest ashes (those farthest away from the central fire) onto any remaining embers or smoldering ashes.
Repeat this step as needed until the fire appears to be completely extinguished.
Apply the Baking Soda
Photo: BURCU ATALAY TANKUT / Moment / Getty Images
As an added safety precaution, grab some baking soda from your fridge or pantry and pour it over the ashes in a thin layer.
Why baking soda? This pantry staple is a chemical compound called sodium bicarbonate, which releases carbon dioxide to suffocate fire. (Fire needs oxygen to thrive.) Fire extinguishers also contain sodium bicarbonate.
Monitor the Fireplace
The fire may be out, but your job isn’t done quite yet. Monitor the fireplace a little longer to ensure the fire doesn’t reignite. We recommend waiting five to 15 minutes before leaving the room, just in case.
The next day or several days later; there’s no rush—you can clean out your fireplace by shoveling the ashes into your metal ash container. But don’t shovel them all out. We suggest leaving a thin layer of ashes to protect the brick at the base of the fireplace. This ensures your fireplace lasts longer and looks nicer.
How to Put Out Fire in a Fireplace in an Emergency
In a true emergency, you can throw water onto your fireplace to put it out quickly. However, it’s safer (and less damaging to your fireplace) to use a fire extinguisher.
Always keep a fire extinguisher in every room of your house with a fireplace (and with an oven!). Regularly inspect your fire extinguishers to ensure they haven’t expired. Use our full home safety checklist to stay on top of other important tasks that can easily slip your mind.
Finally, read all the safety and handling instructions for your fire extinguisher before starting a fire.
How to Put Out the Log Fire in Your Log Burner
Putting out a log fire in a log burner is relatively simple, but you should still be extra cautious to avoid burns and flying embers igniting a fire around your log burner.
Close the door to your burner.
Close any air vents that are still open.
Check that the damper is fully open (this will allow smoke to escape outside of your home rather than into your room).
Wait for the fire to completely die down, which should only take a couple of minutes.
While wearing a heat-resistant glove, slowly open the door to the burner.
Poke the leftover ash with a fireplace poker to distribute it evenly and make sure the fire is completely extinguished.
Pour a small amount of baking soda over any glowing embers still there. Do not pour water over the embers, as this can cause a large puff of smoke, which can be irritating to your eyes and lungs.
Wait until nothing is glowing in the log burner.
Once everything is completely cooled off, sweep up the ashes and clean your log burner as usual.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you should never leave a fireplace burning overnight or unattended during the day. While fireplaces are made to contain fires, fires can and do spread from fireplaces, so it’s crucial that you’re there to monitor them and put them out if needed. If you’re worried about putting out a fire before bed, stop feeding it fuel long before bedtime and actively put out the fire using your poker, a shovel, and some baking soda.
You should only use water to put out a fire in your fireplace in an emergency situation. Even then, it is better to use a fire extinguisher to put out a fire quickly. Make sure every room in your house that has a fireplace also has a fire extinguisher—and that everyone in your household knows how to use one.
You can let a fire burn out in a fireplace as long as you or someone else will stick around to monitor it until it goes completely out. This may take several hours. To prepare, stop adding fuel to the fire well before you’re ready to call it a night. If you’re using the fireplace for warmth, you’ll want to cover up in some blankets as the flame dies down.
