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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow
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Home and Garden
Heating and Cooling
Fireplaces
Simple Ways to Extinguish a Fire in a Fireplace Download Article A complete guide to putting out a fire in a woodburning fireplace Co-authored by Kyle Hall
Last Updated: July 11, 2025
Download Article
Spraying with Water
|
Using Baking Soda
|
Removing the Ashes
|
Tips
|
Warnings
|
Things You'll Need
|Show more|Show less X
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Hall. Kyle Hall works on the content team at wikiHow. He helps manage our team of editors and creates content for a variety of wikiHow projects. Kyle continually looks for new ways to improve the content at wikiHow and make it more helpful and enjoyable for readers. He graduated from Eckerd College in 2015, where he majored in Political Science. This article has been viewed 212,734 times. Learn more...
It's important that you put out fires in your fireplace properly to avoid a hazard. Fortunately, two effective fire extinguishers, water and baking soda, are easy to find at home. Besides putting out the flames, you'll also need to dispose of the hot ash left over from the fire. By removing the ash properly and making sure the fire is completely out, you can enjoy your fireplace responsibly.
Ways to Put Out a Fire in a Fireplace
Use a poker to spread the firewood and embers flat, then spray the fire with water in a spray bottle until it’s extinguished. Or, scoop up some ash with a shovel and dump it over the firewood, then pour baking soda over the embers. Wait several hours after the fire has been extinguished to remove the ashes.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Spraying with Water
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1 Fill a plastic spray bottle with water. Use a medium-size spray bottle as opposed to a cup or bucket to prevent splashing or excessive steam. Make sure there's enough water inside the spray bottle to extinguish the fire and dampen the firewood.
2 Spread the firewood and embers in the fireplace with a fire poker. You want the firewood and embers to be as open and flat as possible so they cool faster.[1]XResearch source Advertisement
3 Spray the fire with water using the spray bottle. Continue spraying until you've covered all of the firewood and embers. You want everything to be damp so the wood and embers cool down and go out.[2]XResearch source
4 Make sure the fire is out before you leave it unattended. There should be no flames or red, burning embers. If the fire restarts or the firewood and embers are still glowing hot, spray more water onto the fire.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Using Baking Soda
Download Article
1 Use a fire poker to spread around the burning wood and embers. Try to create a flat, even layer that you can easily pour the baking soda over.[3]XResearch source
2 Scoop up some ash with a metal shovel and dump it over the firewood. Continue doing this until all of the flames are extinguished.[4]XResearch source
3 Pour baking soda over the embers and firewood. Use any kind of store-bought baking soda; you just want enough of it to create a thin layer over the embers and wood. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is also found in some fire extinguishers, and it will help smother the fire so it doesn't restart.[5]XResearch source
Avoid using sand to smother a fire as it will be difficult to clean out of the fireplace.
4 Watch the fireplace for a few minutes to make sure the fire doesn't restart. If the fire restarts, repeat the ash and baking soda steps until the fire is completely out.
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Removing the Ashes
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1 Wait several hours after the fire's been put out to remove the ashes. This will allow the ashes time to cool down. Never try to remove the ashes when the fire is still going.[6]XResearch source
To give the ashes more time to cool down, leave them in the fireplace overnight. It's OK to leave the ashes unattended while you sleep, as long as the fire is completely out (there are no flames or red embers).[7]XResearch source
2 Use a metal shovel to scoop up the ashes. Don't worry about getting out any leftover wood; you just want to clear out the gray and black ash on the bottom of the fireplace.[8]XResearch source
Remember that some embers may still be hot, even after the fire has been out for a while. Be careful when you're removing the ashes.
3 Dump the ash into a metal can. Never dump ash into a paper, cardboard, or plastic container. Hot embers in the ash could burn through the container and start a fire.[9]XResearch source
4 Take the can filled with ash outside to a safe area. Keep the can away from combustible materials.[10]XResearch source
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Expert Q&A
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Tips
Plan ahead by letting the fire die down a couple hours before you plan on leaving. Put out the fire early so you have time to make sure it's completely out before you leave it unattended. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
Warnings
Don't attempt to put out a fire in a fireplace by smothering it with an object. If the object is flammable, it could catch on fire and create a dangerous amount of smoke. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 0
Don't wait for a fire in a fireplace to go out on its own. Hot embers in a fireplace can burn for several days and could cause another fire to start if they're left untended to. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 5
Never attempt to put out a fire by fanning it with an object or your hands. Fanning a fire will make it grow. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 7
If your fireplace fire gets too large or extends into your chimney and you're unable to put it out, call the fire department immediately. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
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Things You'll Need
Plastic spray bottle
Water
Baking soda
Metal shovel
Metal can
Heat resistant gloves
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Co-authored by: Kyle Hall wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Hall. Kyle Hall works on the content team at wikiHow. He helps manage our team of editors and creates content for a variety of wikiHow projects. Kyle continually looks for new ways to improve the content at wikiHow and make it more helpful and enjoyable for readers. He graduated from Eckerd College in 2015, where he majored in Political Science. This article has been viewed 212,734 times. 85 votes - 85% Co-authors: 12Updated: July 11, 2025 Views: 212,734 Categories: Featured Articles | Fireplaces | Fire EmergenciesArticle SummaryX
It’s important to fully put out a fire in your fireplace so it doesn’t reignite after you’ve left the room. To put a fire out, first, spread the firewood and embers with a fire poker so they cool more quickly. Then, spray the fire thoroughly with a spray bottle filled with water, which will produce less steam than pouring a bucket of water on the fire. Alternatively, you can pour baking soda over the embers and firewood. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is an ingredient found in some fire extinguishers. Before you leave the room, make sure there are no flames or red embers left, which could start a fire. To learn how to remove ashes from your fireplace, read on!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Anonymous
Dec 25, 2017
"Adding baking soda and water together worked really well."
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Kyle Hall wikiHow Staff Writer Co-authors: 12Updated: July 11, 2025 Views: 212,73485% of readers found this article helpful. 85 votes - 85% Click a star to add your vote
Anonymous
Dec 25, 2017
"Adding baking soda and water together worked really well." Share yours!
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Download Article A complete guide to putting out a fire in a woodburning fireplace Co-authored by Kyle Hall 
How toPut Out a Campfire 
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Co-authored by: Kyle Hall wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Hall. Kyle Hall works on the content team at wikiHow. He helps manage our team of editors and creates content for a variety of wikiHow projects. Kyle continually looks for new ways to improve the content at wikiHow and make it more helpful and enjoyable for readers. He graduated from Eckerd College in 2015, where he majored in Political Science. This article has been viewed 212,734 times. 85 votes - 85% Co-authors: 12 Updated: July 11, 2025 Views: 212,734 Categories: Featured Articles | Fireplaces | Fire Emergencies Article SummaryX
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1 Fill a plastic spray bottle with water. Use a medium-size spray bottle as opposed to a cup or bucket to prevent splashing or excessive steam. Make sure there's enough water inside the spray bottle to extinguish the fire and dampen the firewood. 
2 Spread the firewood and embers in the fireplace with a fire poker. You want the firewood and embers to be as open and flat as possible so they cool faster.[1] Advertisement 
3 Spray the fire with water using the spray bottle. Continue spraying until you've covered all of the firewood and embers. You want everything to be damp so the wood and embers cool down and go out.[2] 
4 Make sure the fire is out before you leave it unattended. There should be no flames or red, burning embers. If the fire restarts or the firewood and embers are still glowing hot, spray more water onto the fire. Advertisement 
1 Use a fire poker to spread around the burning wood and embers. Try to create a flat, even layer that you can easily pour the baking soda over.[3] 
2 Scoop up some ash with a metal shovel and dump it over the firewood. Continue doing this until all of the flames are extinguished.[4] 
3 Pour baking soda over the embers and firewood. Use any kind of store-bought baking soda; you just want enough of it to create a thin layer over the embers and wood. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is also found in some fire extinguishers, and it will help smother the fire so it doesn't restart.[5] 
4 Watch the fireplace for a few minutes to make sure the fire doesn't restart. If the fire restarts, repeat the ash and baking soda steps until the fire is completely out. Advertisement 
1 Wait several hours after the fire's been put out to remove the ashes. This will allow the ashes time to cool down. Never try to remove the ashes when the fire is still going.[6] 
2 Use a metal shovel to scoop up the ashes. Don't worry about getting out any leftover wood; you just want to clear out the gray and black ash on the bottom of the fireplace.[8] 
3 Dump the ash into a metal can. Never dump ash into a paper, cardboard, or plastic container. Hot embers in the ash could burn through the container and start a fire.[9] 
4 Take the can filled with ash outside to a safe area. Keep the can away from combustible materials.[10] Advertisement 