How to Extinguish Charcoal in a Park Grill

Charcoal left to smolder in a park grill can be a fire hazard. Campers or picnickers whose unextinguished fire starts a forest fire can be charged with a crime, or made to pay for damages and the cost of fighting the fire.

Ways to Extinguish Charcoal

You can extinguish a charcoal fire with a fire extinguisher, sand or closing a grill's vents and waiting for the fire to die out over time. But the fastest and easiest way to extinguish a charcoal fire in a park grill is with water.

How to Extinguish a Charcoal Fire with Water

Using a long-handled barbecue fork, wooden stick or metal spatula, spread out the coals so there is only one layer of coals. Use a bottle of water, either from a used milk jug, or other container, to douse the coals. Be careful not to get burned by the steam released when the water hits the hot coals. You can also use the melted water from your ice chest, or a bag of ice. Using the stick, fork or spatula break up the coals and continue to apply water while stirring the coals. Stir until you feel confident you could scoop up the resulting slurry with your bare hands and not be burned by a smoldering coal.