Oil Fire!!!!!!!! Wet Towel or Dry Towel?

I dont have one right now, so do relax. I just want to know how I should take care of one if this happens. I have heard all of the different ways (baking powder, salt, etc.)





But one thing I have found people disagreeing on is whether to use a wet or dry towel. Please let me know.





Also what is meant by a ';dry fire extinguisher';, as opossed to a wet one LOL?Oil Fire!!!!!!!! Wet Towel or Dry Towel?
Dry Fire Extinguisher: contains chemicals that form a foam of a dry snow like texture.


CO2 Extinguisher: uses Carbon Dioxide to smother the fire.


Wet Fire Extinguisher: uses water or another liquid chemical to douse the flames.





If you do use a towel use a damp/wet towel since a dry towel will catch on fire.


If you do use a powder of some kind use a non-flamable powder such as Salt or Baking soda.





Never use an organic powder such as Flour or Sugar as this will catch on fire. also if it is a fine powder such as Flour it will explode. Organic means it contains carbon.





preferably use a pot lid to smother the flames.Oil Fire!!!!!!!! Wet Towel or Dry Towel?
Use flower.
I say wet towel. If you throw a dry towel over it that's just ';feeding'; the fire.
baking soda
Forget the towel, anything solid to cover up the flame will do the trick. If all you have is a towel, use it wet. Backing soda, salt, towels (wet or dry) lids- they all do the same thing which is to smoother out the fire. Fires require at least 21% oxygen to burn so reduce that down and the fire dies out.





The reason behind not using water, Im sure you've mixed water and oil in a pot or measuring cup... well notice how the water is heavier and sinks while the oil floats on top, thus water will not put out an oil fire. Therefore you need a dry extinguisher which has lighter chemicals than water to put out the fire. Foam does the same thing. Wet extinguishers use primarily water.
DO NOT USE FLOUR!!!





Flour can flash. In enough quantity and under the right conditions flour will explode. Tossing flour toward a fire, automatically creates 2 of the 3 conditions necessary for it to explode.





See links for more info.
It's a class B fire because it is flammable liquids. You do not want to put water on an oil fire but if the towel is damp and not soaking wet, it may help smother the flames. With a bravo fire, you must cut the oxygen supply off to the flame.





A dry fire extinguisher contains chemicals (powdery) (potassium or baking powder), that blanket the fire and blocks the oxygen that feeds it. Other fire extinguishers contain Carbon dioxide
No No Mark. Not flour. Flour is combustible, and if it is in finely divided form (as if it were thrown at a fire) it could explode.





Much better to slide a lid, pizza pan or cookie sheet over an oil fire in a container like a frying pan. More specifically tilt the lid upward to shield your hands, and lower it onto the burning oil.





If a towel is the only thing handy, it should be wet, and draped quickly over the container, front to back.





If you are trying to insulate your hands from the heat with a towel, it should be dry. Otherwise steam burns are likely.





Dry chemical fire extinguishers are effective on all kinds of household fires. Best not to use water on oil fires or fires of an electrical nature.





For a fire in the oven, simply close the door and turn off the heat source. Chances are the fire will self-extinguish.
Wet a towel well, ring out quick and make sure that water dosen't drip badly. Place over the grease flame, the flame will smolder and go out. Most fire extinguishers are chemical to take the oxygen out of the flame, some are still liquid and could cause the grease to jump from the pan and start to flame everywhere.
neither towel.


A dry towel will catch fire, a wet one will spread the oil and the fire. If the fire is confined to a pan, you simply put a lid on it and smother the flames.
Damp towel, not too wet. wet the towel then wring it out first. If water drips into the fat you will get big flames sprayed out.