Burning Questions: Shabbat on Fire and the Modern Dilemma

Lately, the world seems to be going up in flames—literally. Wildfires are breaking out across many countries: from Los Angeles, where homes have been destroyed, to New Jersey, where vast acres of forest have burned, and even in Israel, which also battled major fires. This may serve as a wake-up call to review the halachot of what one may do if a fire breaks out on Shabbat. Are we permitted to extinguish it, or not?

A straightforward reading of the halacha indicates that one may not extinguish a fire on Shabbat unless there is a danger to life that qualifies under the category of pikuach nefesh. If the fire poses no threat to human life, then even if it will destroy one’s entire house, all possessions, and even life savings, one is still not permitted to put it out.

This is indeed a stringent halacha. While it is true that one must give up all his possessions to avoid violating a Torah prohibition, in this case, extinguishing a fire is considered a melacha she’eina tzerichalegufa—a prohibited act done not for its original constructive purpose, such as creating a coal, but simply to stop the fire. As such, it is only a rabbinic prohibition. Yet even for this rabbinic melacha, one is required to forgo all of his property rather than violate it. The stringency goes so far that one may not even ask a non-Jew to extinguish the fire. If there is no danger to life, this remains prohibited—unless it is done through indirect hinting, such as saying, “Whoever puts out the fire will not lose anything.” Practically speaking, one may not call the fire department, nor ask a non-Jew to do so. The fire must be allowed to burn, even if it consumes everything.

The only permitted action is to create indirect means of extinguishing, such as placing a bucket of water nearby so that when the fire reaches it, the bucket will burst and the water will spill out, extinguishing the flames.

After saying all that, we must recognize that today’s world is very different in many ways from the world in which our sages originally formulated these laws. Let us examine a few key differences that can significantly alter this halachic ruling:

Risk of Looters

The Rema (S.A. 334) already warned that a fire should be extinguished even if the area is clear of people and there is no immediate risk of anyone being burned. He explains that other dangers may arise, such as thieves taking advantage of the chaos to loot the house while the owner is vulnerable. We assume that the owner, seeing his life’s savings being stolen, may attempt to intervene, and in response, the thieves could harm or even kill him. Since such danger is a real possibility, any fire is considered potentially life-threatening, and one should extinguish it.

Legal consequences

In some cases, one could potentially face legal actions if they fail to put out a fire, especially if their neglect leads to harm, property damage, or poses a danger to others. The severity of the legal consequences would depend on local laws and regulations, as well as the specific circumstances of the fire. In many countries, failing to act in situations where public safety is at risk, such as a fire, could be classified under negligence, which can lead to legal liability, potentially facing civil lawsuits or other legal repercussions. 

Risk of House Explosion

Another major difference between past generations and today is the nature of how our homes are built. In earlier times, homes were simpler structures, and fires would primarily damage wood and fabric materials. There were no electric systems or complex infrastructure that could further complicate a fire. Today, however, homes are filled with electric wiring, heating systems, and even boilers and gas lines.

This creates a far more dangerous situation. Electrical systems can spark and cause additional fires or short circuits, posing dangers even beyond the original blaze. Boilers or gas lines can explode if exposed to intense heat, turning a localized house fire into a large-scale threat that can endanger neighboring houses and lives. Even if the original house seems empty and no one is at risk, the potential for the fire to spread or cause secondary explosions makes it a situation of pikuach nefesh.

Furthermore, in densely populated areas, such as apartment buildings or row houses, a fire in one unit can quickly spread to others. The walls, ceilings, and electric systems are often shared, and once a fire starts, it can put many families in danger within moments.

For this reason, modern poskim consider many house fires today as inherently dangerous and permit, or even require, extinguishing them on Shabbat when there is reasonable concern for broader risk to human life.

The Concern of Gentile Retaliation (Eivah)

Another critical factor relevant to modern times is the concern of eivah—hostility or retaliation from non-Jews. Halachically, this concern has real weight and can influence decisions even in areas generally restricted on Shabbat. If a fire were to spread and cause damage to neighboring non-Jewish homes or property, and it became known that the fire was not extinguished due to religious observance, this could spark serious animosity and even endanger the Jewish community.

The poskim address situations where actions that would otherwise be prohibited on Shabbat may be allowed to prevent hatred or accusations that could lead to danger. This concern is not just theoretical—in history, Jews have faced violence for being perceived as indifferent to the well-being of others.

Contemporary authorities, including Rav Ovadia Yosef and Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, have written that in today's interconnected society, where Jewish actions are highly visible and scrutiny is intense, this concern becomes even more relevant. Thus, if allowing a fire to spread could provoke accusations or backlash, especially in shared or urban spaces, it is halachically permissible—and even necessary—to extinguish the fire to protect the community.They permit even violating Shabbat with melacha de’oraita.Similarly, a Jewish doctor must treat a non-Jewish patient on Shabbat if necessary, and Hatzalah must respond if such a patient comes their way. Failure to help can spread quickly and create a public backlash that poses immediate danger to the broader Jewish community.

Summary: If a fire starts on Shabbat, one must immediately take action to put it out and prevent it from spreading, even if there seems to be no one around the house. If calling the fire department is necessary, one must pick up the phone and do so.

This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel