How to Put Out a Fire Pit

On this page (7 sections)

1. How do you put out a fire pit safely?
2. What are the steps for putting out a wood-burning fire pit?
3. How do you put out a fire in a fire pit when the wind is strong?
4. Can you use water on propane or electric patio heaters?
5. How do you check for hidden embers?
6. How can you protect a patio while using a fire pit?
7. What should you do before leaving?

To put out a fire pit, let the flames die down, spread the coals, and slowly soak everything with water while stirring. Repeat the process until the wood, ash, and fire pit area have no glow, smoke, or warmth.

This simple order works for most wood-burning pits in a backyard, garden, or patio. It slows the cooling so steam does not take over, and it helps water reach embers that sit under logs or ash.

Never leave a fire pit unattended while it is burning or still hot. Wind can move sparks, and buried embers can stay hot after the visible flames disappear.

That risk is easy to miss on a calm night when the fire looks settled. A few coals can keep heat for a long while, especially if they are piled in the center and covered by ash.

Work in small steps and give each soak time to sink in. Stir from the bottom, lift larger pieces, and add water again where you see steam, smoke, or a dull glow.

Take more care if the pit sits near wood, fabric, dry leaves, or a fence. Keep chairs and cushions clear while you work, and keep children and pets away from the bowl and tools.

The job is done when the whole fire bed feels cold to check nearby air, not just when the flames are gone. A careful pass now saves trouble later and leaves the area safe to use again.

How do you put out a fire pit safely?

Let the fire burn down before adding water, then spread the remaining wood and coals into a thin layer. This exposes hidden embers and makes the fire easier to cool.

Wait until you can stop adding wood and the flames have dropped to coals. That pause matters because water on a strong flame can create a burst of steam and send ash into the air.

Use a long poker or other tool intended for moving fire pit material. Keep your face and hands away from steam, smoke, and hot ash.

Stand to the side rather than directly over the bowl while you spread the bed. The glow can be strong even when flames are low, and a light wind can push heat toward you without warning.

Add water slowly over the wood and coals. Stir the material as you soak it, then add more water until the hissing stops and no glowing areas remain.

Pour in a steady stream and pause to let the water soak down. Fast pouring can splash hot ash, while slow additions let you see where heat is still hiding.

Break apart logs and turn pieces over so wet surfaces reach the top. Embers often sit on the underside of a log, where a quick pass with water will not cool them.

Check the edges of the bowl as well as the center. Coals can roll outward when you spread the bed, and a warm corner can be missed if you focus only on the middle.

The National Fire Protection Association's outdoor fire safety guidance also stresses extinguishing outdoor fires fully before leaving them.

Follow that same standard at home and treat a quiet fire bed as a reason to check again. Stir once more after a short wait, add water to any warm spot, and keep the area watched until it is cold.

What are the steps for putting out a wood-burning fire pit?

The basic order is burn down, spread, soak, stir, and check. Follow these steps every time you finish using a wood-burning fire pit:

1. Stop adding wood and let the flames reduce.
2. Spread logs, coals, and ash with a poker.
3. Pour water slowly over the fire pit contents.
4. Stir from the bottom to uncover buried embers.
5. Add more water until there is no hissing, smoke, glow, or heat.
6. Check the surrounding ground, pad, and nearby materials for stray sparks.

Avoid dumping a large amount of water into a very hot metal bowl all at once. Sudden cooling can create heavy steam and may damage some fire pit materials.

Do not cover a hot fire pit to hide the fire. A lid or spark screen can limit sparks, but it does not cool the coals.

What should you do with the ashes?

Keep stirring the ashes while adding water so buried coals become wet and cool. Ash can hide embers that still ignite dry leaves, wood, or other nearby material.

Use a poker to break apart larger pieces of wood. Look for orange spots beneath the ash and soak those areas again.

Wait before removing ashes. Hot ash can damage a container or ignite material if it is placed near a deck, wall, shed, or other combustible surface.

How do you put out a fire in a fire pit when the wind is strong?

Stop feeding the fire early when wind increases, and extinguish it before sparks travel. Wind can carry embers beyond the bowl and onto dry grass, furniture, roofs, or nearby structures.

Move people away from the downwind side while you work. Keep water close, and watch the area around the fire pit for sparks.

A spark screen helps contain some flying embers, but it does not make a fire safe to leave. The Sunnydaze Crossweave 36" Large Outdoor Fire Pit includes a spark screen, poker, and cover, but you still need to extinguish the wood and coals before covering it.

Place a wood-burning fire pit on stone, brick, gravel, or a fire-safe pad. The Sunnydaze model has a 36 in outer ring, a 31 in fire bowl, and a 24 in height with the spark screen on.

Check your local fire rules before using any outdoor fire pit. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for clearances, fuel, and extinguishing.

Can you use water on propane or electric patio heaters?

Do not use the fire-pit water method on propane or electric patio heaters. Turn the heater off, disconnect the fuel or power source as directed, and let it cool before covering or storing it.

A propane heater creates heat without a wood bed of coals. The Amazon Basics 46,000 BTU Portable Outdoor Propane Patio Heater uses a 20 pound liquid propane tank, has a water tank for weighing down its base, and includes a tilt safety auto-shutoff valve.

The heater is 32.1 in long, 32.1 in wide, and 91.3 in high. Its stated heating coverage is a 9 foot radius, and wheels help move it into position.

Turn the control off according to the heater's instructions. Keep the unit away from water unless the instructions allow that use, and never spray a hot heater to cool it.

For a broader comparison of heating choices, see patio heaters and our guide to patio heater or fire pit.

Electric infrared heaters also have no ash or coals to soak. The DR.

INFRARED HEATER Portable Infrared Indoor and Outdoor Space Heater has 900W, 1200W, and 1500W settings, uses a standard 120V connection, and includes a remote control and wall and ceiling mounting brackets.

Disconnect it as instructed and let the aluminum heater cool before handling it. Keep water away from the cord, plug, and electrical connections.

How do you check for hidden embers?

Stir the entire fire bed and check for heat after the visible flames are gone. Look under logs, around the edges, and beneath loose ash.

Add water to any area that smokes, glows, steams, or feels warm nearby. Move the material carefully with a poker, then check again after the water settles.

Do not touch hot ash or metal with your bare hand. Hold the back of your hand near the area only after the smoke and steam have cleared, and keep enough distance to avoid contact.

A fire pit is not ready for a cover while it still produces heat. Wait until the bowl and surrounding surface are cool, then remove wet ash only as the manufacturer's instructions allow.

How can you protect a patio while using a fire pit?

Use a fire-safe base, keep the fire pit away from combustible surfaces, and control sparks before they leave the bowl. Decks and patios can be damaged by heat, falling embers, and spilled ash.

Read How To Protect Patio From Fire Pit? before setting up a wood-burning model. If your surface is a deck, also check can you use a smokeless fire pit on a deck for placement concerns.

Keep chairs, cushions, rugs, dry leaves, and firewood away from the fire. A fire pit should have a clear area around it, and children should stay away from the hot bowl and tools.

If you want a table-style setup, compare the Best Fire Pit Table options before choosing a model. The shape and fuel type affect how you set up, supervise, and extinguish it.

What should you do before leaving?

Leave only after the fire pit and nearby area are cold. Check the fire bed, bowl, ground, pad, furniture, and any place where a spark may have landed.

Use this final check:

• No flames remain.
• No orange glow appears under the ash.
• No smoke or steam rises after stirring.
• No warmth remains in the wood or coals.
• No sparks are visible around the fire pit.
• The surrounding surface is not hot or scorched.

For future use, read how to use a fire pit before lighting the next fire. If you want warmth without ashes, compare a fire pit with a patio heater based on fuel, placement, and the amount of supervision you can provide.

The decision rule is simple: soak and stir wood fires until they are cold, but switch off and cool propane or electric heaters according to their instructions. Never treat a spark screen, cover, or automatic shutoff as a substitute for checking the fire yourself.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to put out a fire pit?

Allow enough time for the wood to burn down, then keep adding water and stirring until the coals, ash, and fire pit surface are cold. The time depends on the amount of fuel, wind, pit size, and how deeply embers are buried.

Never leave while any heat or glow remains.

Can I leave a fire pit burning overnight?

No. Put out the fire pit completely before going inside or leaving the property.

Spread the wood and coals, soak them slowly with water, stir the ashes, and check again for warmth.

A spark screen or cover does not replace active fire supervision.

Should I use water to put out a fire pit?

Water is the usual way to cool a wood-burning fire pit after the flames have died down, unless the pit's instructions say otherwise. Add water slowly to limit steam, stir the coals, and repeat until no heat remains.

Do not pour water on a propane or electric heater.

How do I know a fire pit is fully out?

A fire pit is fully out when there is no flame, smoke, glow, or warmth in the wood, coals, ash, or surrounding surface. Stir the material with a poker, soak it, and use the back of your hand near the area to sense residual warmth without touching hot metal or ash.