How to Put Out a Grease Fire Fast

Grease fires are caused by cooking oil that becomes too hot. If a grease fire does erupt while you're cooking, you need to act quickly to prevent it from spreading out of control. Keep reading to learn how to put out a grease fire on your stovetop, oven, or grill. We'll also explain what to avoid when putting out an oil fire, how to prevent a grease fire from starting, and what causes grease fires, with safety tips from firefighting and culinary experts.

How do you put out a grease fire on a stove?

Firefighting expert David Decker says to put a lid or a sheet pan over the top of the container to smother the fire. Here are other steps you should take to put out a grease fire:

Turn the heat off on the stove.
Douse the flames outside of the pot or pan with baking soda or table salt.
Spray the fire with a fire extinguisher if it grows, and all other steps fail.
Call emergency services (911) and leave the house if the fire spreads.

Section 1 of 6:

How to Put Out a Grease Fire on the Stovetop

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Turn the stove and the overhead fan off immediately. Shutting off all the burners on the stove is your first priority, given that a grease fire needs heat to stay alive.^{[1]
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Research source} If you have an overhead fan running, turn that off, as well. The rushing air will cause the flames to spread.^{[2]
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Research source} If you have time, put on an oven mitt first to protect your skin.
- Call 911 if the fire is so large that you can't get close enough to turn off the stove! Don't attempt to put it out yourself!
Meet the wikiHow Experts

David Decker is a firefighting expert with 32+ years of experience as a career firefighter. He now owns a fire training company.

Raymond Chiu is a house cleaning professional. He owns Maid Sailors Cleaning Service and cleans residential and office properties at affordable rates.

Julian Beer Company is run by BBQ experts and specializes in handcrafted beers and barbecue. It was established in 2011 by Jeremy Marsaglia.

Marrow Private Chefs is a chefs' collaborative of culinary experts. The chefs at Marrow have a combined 75+ years of experience in the industry.
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Cover the flames with a metal lid or a cookie sheet. Fire needs oxygen to keep burning, so covering it with a metal lid will essentially smother the flame, says Decker. Place a metal pan lid or a cookie sheet on top of the fire.^{[3]
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David Decker
Firefighting Expert

Expert Interview} Do not use glass lids, since they can shatter when exposed to fire.^{[4]
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- Avoid using ceramic lids, bowls, and plates, as well. These can explode and become dangerous shrapnel.
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Dump baking soda or table salt on small fires. Baking soda will put out small grease fires outside of the pot or pan, but won't work as effectively on larger ones. It will take a large amount of baking soda to get the job done, so grab the whole box and dump it generously on the flames until they're extinguished. If you don't have baking soda handy, table salt works just as well.^{[5]
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- Avoid using baking powder, flour, or anything other than baking soda or salt! Flour and baking powder can ignite when they come in contact with fire and spread it further around your kitchen.^{[6]
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Class K fire extinguishers are designed specifically to put out grease fires, so they're a great tool to keep on hand. Since the chemicals will contaminate your kitchen and be tough to clean up, only do this as a last resort. If it's the last line of defense before the fire gets out of control, however, don't hesitate!^{[7]
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Section 2 of 6:

How to Put Out a Grease Fire in the Oven

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Avoid opening the oven door until the flames are completely extinguished and the oven door feels cool. The lack of oxygen will kill the fire for you—you don't need to throw baking soda or salt onto it.^{[8]
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Section 3 of 6:

How to Put Out a Grease Fire on the Grill

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Turn the propane off or unplug the grill from the electrical outlet. If you have a gas grill, shut off the propane as quickly as possible. If you have an electric grill, unplug it from the wall socket to cut off its power.
- If you have a charcoal grill, skip to the next step!
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Close the lid on the grill and wait. Next, close the lid of the grill over the flames and wait. Lowering the lid on the grill will deprive the fire of oxygen. If you wait long enough, the oil will burn out, and the flames will die on their own. If your grill lid has air vents, close those, too, if possible.^{[9]
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- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby when you're grilling!

Section 4 of 6:

What to Avoid When Putting Out a Grease Fire

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This is the number one mistake many people make with a grease fire. Water and oil don't mix, and throwing water on a grease fire can even cause the fire to spread.^{[10]
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Flour and baking powder may look similar to baking soda, but they won't have the same effect. Only baking soda and salt are safe and effective on a grease fire.^{[11]
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This is another common mistake people make. While it may seem logical in the heat of the moment, moving a pot of burning oil can cause it to spill, potentially burning you and any other flammable objects it comes into contact with.^{[12]
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This will fan the flames and spread the fire. The fabric itself could also catch on fire. Don't place a wet towel over a grease fire to snuff out the oxygen, either.
If the fire is already large and has spread to countertops and cabinets, call 911 and get yourself, your family, and your pets out of the house immediately! Don't waste time trying to fight the fire. Not only could you get burned, but you could also inhale a lot of smoke and damage your lungs or even pass out.^{[13]
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Section 5 of 6:

How to Prevent a Grease Fire

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Avoid leaving the stove unattended when cooking with oil. Unfortunately, most grease fires happen when someone steps away just for a moment. Grease fires can happen in less than 30 seconds, though. Don't turn your back on hot grease!^{[14]
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- Turn the handles of any pots and pans you have on the stovetop away from the edge of the stove. This will help prevent people from accidentally bumping into them and children from grabbing them and pulling them off.
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Clean grease and food off your kitchen surfaces regularly. A fire can start if hot oil spills onto the layer of oil accumulated on your stovetop, countertop, backsplash, and other kitchen surfaces. To clean these areas, house cleaning professional Raymond Chiu recommends wiping up as much grease as possible with paper towels. Next, mix 1 c (250 g) of baking soda and 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of water and "apply it on the greasy surface." Use a microfiber cloth "to gently scrub the area, and use a clean, damp cloth to rinse the area after."^{[15]
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Raymond Chiu
House Cleaning Professional

Expert Interview}
- Don't forget to clean your grill regularly, as well! According to the BBQ experts at the Julian Beer Company, "The buildup of particles, grease, and carbon on your grill can only provide a fuel source for fires."^{[16]
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Store paper towels, paper plates, paper napkins, and cooking oils in cabinets or on countertops that are several feet away from the stovetop. Remove the curtains from nearby windows, and store dish towels, dish rags, and pot holders in drawers. Basically, if it's flammable, move it far away or tuck it away somewhere the cooking oil can't reach it if it splashes or spills.^{[17]
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Clip a thermometer to the side to monitor the oil's temperature. Find out the smoking point of the particular oil you're using, then use a clip-on food thermometer to monitor the temperature as you cook. If it gets too close to the smoking point, turn the heat down or off. The oil won't immediately catch fire once it starts smoking, but smoke is a danger sign that it's getting close to that point.^{[18]
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Research source} Below are some common cooking oils and their average smoke point:
- Vegetable oil: 400–450 °F (204–232 °C)
- Canola oil: 400 °F (204 °C)
- Virgin avocado oil: 375–400 °F (191–204 °C)
- Extra-virgin olive oil: 325–375 °F (163–191 °C)
- Butter: 350 °F (177 °C)
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Ensure food is as dry as possible before putting it in the hot oil. When you drop wet or frozen food into hot oil, the culinary experts at Marrow Private chefs say that it will cause the oil to bubble over the sides of the vessel.^{[19]
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Marrow Private Chefs
Private Chefs

Expert Interview} Pat the moisture off your food with a paper towel before putting it in the oil.
- To prevent splashing, carefully lower the food into the oil with tongs. If you're sauteing, lower the food into the pan slowly, one end at a time, away from you.
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Broil food 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) under the broiler with a pan underneath to catch drippings. Set the top oven rack 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) below the broiler. Then, place a separate pan on the second rack underneath the first one to catch any fat drippings. That way, the fat won't ignite on the hot bottom of the oven.^{[20]
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- Avoid lining your pans with aluminum foil, which might collect the fat from your food and cause it to go up in flames under the broiler.
Get into the habit of making sure these items are within easy reach when you're cooking with grease. If a fire erupts, you'll have at least three different ways to immediately snuff it out.^{[21]
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Section 6 of 6:

What causes grease fires?

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When cooking oil gets too far past its smoking point, it can actually ignite on its own. Other ways it can start a grease fire are if it splashes or spills out onto a hot burner. It can also boil over and ignite into flames if you drop wet food into it, according to Marrow Private Chefs.^{[22]
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Marrow Private Chefs
Private Chefs

Expert Interview} Once a grease fire gets going, any surfaces near the stove or grill that are covered in grease will also go up in flames. That's why it's important to keep your cooking area clean and stay prepared!^{[23]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I prevent grease fire?

David Decker
Firefighting Expert
David Decker is a Firefighting Expert based in Newark, Ohio. Assistant Chief Decker was a career firefighter for 32+ years at Newark Fire Department and served as an Assistant Chief for 14 years. As Assistant Chief, he was in charge of department operations and training. He is now the owner of Command Vision, a fire training company focusing on incident command. He also has a YouTube channel where he uploads dash-cam videos captured at fire scenes that serve as training material for fire officers who want to expand their knowledge. The channel features over 40 structure fire videos and has garnered 55k followers and more than 15 million views.

David Decker

Firefighting Expert

Expert Answer

To avoid grease fires, refrain from letting children play near cooking areas to prevent accidental spills or splatters that could ignite. Additionally, never leave cooking unattended, especially when frying or using oil. Keep flammable items like dish towels and oven mitts away from the stove, and always have a lid nearby to smother small grease fires. Regularly clean cooking appliances and ensure they're free from grease buildup to minimize fire risk.

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Question

How do I use a fire extinguisher properly?

David Decker
Firefighting Expert
David Decker is a Firefighting Expert based in Newark, Ohio. Assistant Chief Decker was a career firefighter for 32+ years at Newark Fire Department and served as an Assistant Chief for 14 years. As Assistant Chief, he was in charge of department operations and training. He is now the owner of Command Vision, a fire training company focusing on incident command. He also has a YouTube channel where he uploads dash-cam videos captured at fire scenes that serve as training material for fire officers who want to expand their knowledge. The channel features over 40 structure fire videos and has garnered 55k followers and more than 15 million views.

David Decker

Firefighting Expert

Expert Answer

To use a fire extinguisher effectively, remember the PASS method: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep side to side. Pull the pin to break the seal, aim the nozzle at the fire's base, squeeze the handle to release the extinguishing agent, and sweep the extinguisher from side to side until the flames are out. Following these steps helps contain small fires and prevents them from spreading.

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Question

My cooking pot caught on fire and I put a glass lid on it to extinguish the flames. Is it now safe to remove the lid?

Community Answer

Wait at least 45 minutes to be safe. Call 911 if you are afraid to take it off. For future reference, don't use a glass lid if you can help it; the glass could heat up and shatter.

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