Fire Blanket or Fire Extinguisher: Which One for Which Fire

Fire blankets and fire extinguishers both have a place in a home or shop. Neither one is the right answer to every fire. This guide covers where a fire blanket fits, where it does not, and the one rule that overrides everything else.

The rule that comes first

If a fire is spreading, do not fight it. Get out, close the door behind you and call 911 from outside. NFPA puts it simply: when in doubt, get out. Closing the door helps contain the fire.

Your escape plan matters more than any tool. NFPA says a home fire escape plan should include two ways out of every room and an outside meeting place.

Where a fire blanket works

A fire blanket is for a small fire that is just starting. You pull the two tapes, lay the blanket over the fire and cut off the air. It does not need aiming, and it does not spray anything.

A small pan fire on the stove

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States, according to NFPA. Most start small, in a pan.

NFPA advice for a small pan fire is to smother the flames. Slide a lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cool. A fire blanket does the same job when you cannot reach a lid or the pan is too large for one.

Never throw water on a grease fire. NFPA and the US Fire Administration both say so.

The FireHush Fire Blanket is woven fiberglass, 0.43 mm thick, in a wall-mount pouch with pull tapes. The fabric is rated 550 to 1,100 °C. It comes in six sizes, from 1.0 x 1.0 m (39 x 39 in) to 2.0 x 2.0 m (79 x 79 in).

What a blanket does not do

• It does not handle a fire that has spread past the first spot.
• It does not replace your escape plan.
• It is single use. Replace it after it has been used on a fire.

When neither tool is the first move

An oven fire is a good example. NFPA says to turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed. Do not open the door to look, and do not reach in with a blanket.

If the flames climb past the pan, reach the cabinets or fill the room with smoke, stop. Leave, close the door and call 911.

What about the extinguisher?

An extinguisher is a different tool with its own labels and limits. Read the label on yours and follow its instructions. We do not cover extinguisher ratings here, because we do not sell them and will not guess. What we can say is that the same rule applies. If you are unsure, leave.

Lithium-ion battery fires

Battery fires are different. An EV fire blanket contains a vehicle fire, limiting flames, heat and smoke around it. It does not extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire. The fire has to run its course or be handled by the fire department.

Prevention comes first. NFPA says to stop using a lithium-ion battery that shows any of these signs:

• An odor
• A change in color
• Too much heat
• A change in shape
• Leaking
• Odd noises

NFPA also says to use only the battery and charging cord designed for the device. Do not charge a device under a pillow, on a bed or on a couch.

For charging and storing small packs, a fire resistant bag can buy time. The Lithium Battery Safe Bag is a box bag, 40 x 30 x 30 cm (15.7 x 11.8 x 11.8 in), with a high-silica interlayer. It buys time. It does not guarantee the contents survive.

Vehicle and EV fires

Garages, dealerships and fleets use large blankets to cover a whole vehicle. The EV Fire Containment Blanket, Coated is high-silica fabric with a silicone coating, rated 1,000 °C continuous and 1,700 °C peak. Sizes start at 6 x 8 m (20 x 26 ft). The blanket holds back flames and smoke while the battery fire runs its course or crews arrive. Call 911 first.

Hot work and welding

Welding throws sparks, and sparks start small fires. A welding blanket stops sparks, spatter and slag before they land on something that burns.

OSHA hot work rules require a fire watch for at least a half hour after welding or cutting is finished, to catch smoldering fires (29 CFR 1910.252). The blanket does not replace that watch.

Quick guide

1. Small pan fire: Turn off the burner, slide on a lid or lay a fire blanket over it, and leave it covered until cool. Never use water.
2. Oven fire: Turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
3. Battery or vehicle fire: Get away, call 911 and let crews handle it. A containment blanket limits flames, heat and smoke. It does not put the fire out.
4. Spreading fire: Get out, close the door, call 911.

Make your choice before the fire

Mount the blanket where you can reach it without crossing the stove. Make sure everyone in the home knows where it is. Then check your exits. A tool that is easy to grab only helps if the fire is still small.

Products in this guide

• Fire Blanket: A fiberglass fire blanket in a quick-pull pouch for the kitchen, grill, car or workshop. Pull the two tapes, lay it over a small fire and cut off the air.
• Lithium Battery Safe Bag: A large box bag for charging and storing LiPo and lithium-ion packs: RC, drone, camera and power station batteries. High-silica interlayer.
• EV Fire Containment Blanket, Coated: High-silica EV fire blanket with silicone coating. Covers an electric vehicle to contain flames and smoke while a battery fire runs its course or crews arrive.

Questions people ask

Can I use a fire blanket on a grease fire?

Yes, if the fire is small and just starting. Lay the blanket over the pan to cut off the air, turn off the burner and leave it covered until cool. Never throw water on a grease fire. If it spreads, get out and call 911.

Will a fire blanket put out a lithium-ion battery fire?

No. An EV fire blanket contains a vehicle fire and limits flames, heat and smoke around it. It does not extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire. Move away, call 911 and let the fire department handle it.

Can I reuse a fire blanket after a fire?

No. A fire blanket is single use and should be replaced after it has been used on a fire. Check the pouch and replace the blanket if it was used or damaged.

If a fire is spreading, get out, close the door behind you and call 911.