60+ Essential Collocations with Fire: Master Natural English Expression

Content publishing rules

Mastering collocations with fire transforms your English from basic to fluent. These word partnerships appear in everything from emergency broadcasts to literary works, giving your speech the natural rhythm native speakers expect. Whether describing a cozy campfire or military operations, these combinations help you communicate with precision and confidence.

60+ Essential Collocations with Fire: Master Natural English Expression

I. What is Fire?
II. Common collocations with Fire
III. Exercises on collocations with Fire
1. 1. Exercise: Choose the correct answer
2. 2. Answer

I. What is Fire?

In English, "Fire" is pronounced as /faɪr/ and functions as both a verb and a noun.

Fire acts as a verb, meaning: to cause a weapon to shoot bullets, arrows, or missiles; to direct a series of questions or criticisms at someone. For example:
- I just prayed that he would stop firing.
- The journalists were firing questions at me for two whole hours.
Fire acts as a noun, meaning: (material that is in) the state of burning that produces flames that send out heat and light, and might produce smoke; a small controlled fire that is used for heating or cooking; a gas or electric heater that is used to warm up a room. For example:
- The fire was started by children playing with matches.
- The gunman opened fire as the police officers were getting out of their patrol car.

II. Common collocations with Fire

Understanding fire collocations enhances your vocabulary range and accuracy in English communication. These combinations appear frequently in academic texts, news reports, and everyday conversations, making them essential for language learners and professionals alike.

Compilation of common collocations with Fire

1. Fire Types and Descriptions

No.	Collocations with Fire	Example
1	Blazing fire /ˈbleɪ.zɪŋ ˈfaɪər/	The campers sat around a blazing fire.
2	Raging fire /ˈreɪ.dʒɪŋ ˈfaɪər/	The firefighters battled the raging fire all night.
3	Roaring fire /ˈrɔː.rɪŋ ˈfaɪər/	We sat by the roaring fire in the fireplace.
4	Intense fire /ɪnˈtɛns ˈfaɪər/	The intense fire consumed the entire building.
5	Electrical fire /ɪˈlɛk.trɪ.kəl ˈfaɪər/	An electrical fire started in the old wiring.
6	Wood fire /wʊd ˈfaɪər/	They gathered around the wood fire, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories.
7	Campfire /ˈkæmp.faɪər/	The scouts built a campfire for their evening meal.
8	Wildfire /ˈwaɪld.faɪər/	The wildfire spread rapidly across the dry grassland.
9	Controlled fire /kənˈtroʊld ˈfaɪər/	Rangers conducted a controlled fire to prevent larger blazes.
10	Small fire /smɔːl ˈfaɪər/	A small fire flickered in the corner of the room.

2. Fire Actions and Processes

No.	Collocations with Fire	Example
11	Cause a fire /kɔːz ə ˈfaɪər/	Leaving the stove on can cause a fire.
12	Start a fire /stɑːrt ə ˈfaɪər/	Jack used matches to start a fire in the fireplace on a cold winter evening.
13	Ignite a fire /ɪɡˈnaɪt ə ˈfaɪər/	It only takes a small spark to ignite a fire.
14	Kindle a fire /ˈkɪn.dəl ə ˈfaɪər/	John used dry leaves to kindle a fire.
15	Spark a fire /spɑːrk ə ˈfaɪər/	Rubbing two sticks together can sometimes spark a fire when camping.
16	Light a fire /laɪt ə ˈfaɪər/	The hikers struggled to light a fire in the wet conditions.
17	Build a fire /bɪld ə ˈfaɪər/	The survivalist knew how to build a fire using only natural materials.
18	Stoke a fire /stoʊk ə ˈfaɪər/	Anna stoked the fire to keep it burning brightly throughout the night.
19	Feed the fire /fiːd ðə ˈfaɪər/	Tom continued to feed the fire with dry branches.
20	Tend the fire /tɛnd ðə ˈfaɪər/	Someone needs to tend the fire while we gather more wood.

3. Fire Suppression and Control

No.	Collocations with Fire	Example
21	Douse a fire /daʊs ə ˈfaɪər/	Firefighters worked quickly to douse the fire.
22	Extinguish a fire /ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ ə ˈfaɪər/	The crew managed to extinguish the fire before it spread.
23	Put out a fire /pʊt aʊt ə ˈfaɪər/	They used sand to put out the fire at the beach.
24	Suppress the fire /səˈprɛs ðə ˈfaɪər/	The firefighters worked tirelessly to suppress the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings.
25	Contain a fire /kənˈteɪn ə ˈfaɪər/	Emergency services managed to contain the fire within the industrial zone.
26	Fight a fire /faɪt ə ˈfaɪər/	The crew spent hours trying to fight the fire in the warehouse.
27	Battle a fire /ˈbæt.əl ə ˈfaɪər/	Firefighters continued to battle the fire despite challenging conditions.
28	Smother a fire /ˈsmʌð.ər ə ˈfaɪər/	The thick blanket helped smother the fire quickly.
29	Stamp out a fire /stæmp aʊt ə ˈfaɪər/	The ranger used his boots to stamp out the fire before leaving.
30	Quench a fire /kwɛntʃ ə ˈfaɪər/	The sudden rainfall helped quench the fire naturally.

4. Fire Behavior and Movement

No.	Collocations with Fire	Example
31	Fire spreads /ˈfaɪər sprɛdz/	The fire spreads quickly due to the wind.
32	Fire rages /ˈfaɪər ˈreɪ.dʒɪz/	The fire rages through the forest.
33	Fire burns /ˈfaɪər bɜːrnz/	The fire burns steadily in the hearth.
34	Fire consumes /ˈfaɪər kənˈsuːmz/	The fire consumes everything in its path.
35	Fire engulfs /ˈfaɪər ɪnˈɡʌlfs/	The fire engulfs the entire structure within minutes.
36	Fire leaps /ˈfaɪər liːps/	The fire leaps from tree to tree across the canyon.
37	Fire dies down /ˈfaɪər daɪz daʊn/	The fire dies down as the evening progresses.
38	Fire flickers /ˈfaɪər ˈflɪk.ərz/	The fire flickers weakly in the gentle breeze.
39	Fire crackles /ˈfaɪər ˈkræk.əlz/	The fire crackles pleasantly in the quiet cabin.
40	Fire smolders /ˈfaɪər ˈsmoʊl.dərz/	The fire smolders beneath the ashes.

5. Military and Combat Fire

No.	Collocations with Fire	Example
41	Enemy fire /ˈɛn.ə.mi ˈfaɪər/	The soldiers took cover from enemy fire.
42	Heavy fire /ˈhɛv.i ˈfaɪər/	The platoon came under heavy fire.
43	Machine-gun fire /məˈʃiːn ɡʌn ˈfaɪər/	The sound of machine-gun fire echoed through the valley.
44	Rifle fire /ˈraɪ.fəl ˈfaɪər/	They could hear rifle fire in the distance.
45	Sniper fire /ˈsnaɪ.pər ˈfaɪər/	The soldiers took cover as they heard the distinct sound of sniper fire in the distance.
46	Artillery fire /ɑːrˈtɪl.ər.i ˈfaɪər/	The ground trembled under the artillery fire bombardment.
47	Mortar fire /ˈmɔːr.tər ˈfaɪər/	They were caught in mortar fire during the battle.
48	Shell fire /ʃɛl ˈfaɪər/	The troops advanced despite the shell fire.
49	Tank fire /tæŋk ˈfaɪər/	The ground shook as the tank fire echoed across the battlefield.
50	Rocket fire /ˈrɒk.ɪt ˈfaɪər/	The city was under rocket fire during the attack.

6. Fire Equipment and Safety

No.	Collocations with Fire	Example
51	Fire protection /ˈfaɪər prəˈtɛk.ʃən/	The building was equipped with the latest fire protection systems.
52	Fire investigator /ˈfaɪər ɪnˈvɛs.tɪˌɡeɪ.tər/	A fire investigator was called to determine the cause.
53	Fire starter /ˈfaɪər ˈstɑːr.tər/	Jack used a fire starter to ignite the campfire.
54	Fire pit /ˈfaɪər pɪt/	We roasted marshmallows over the fire pit.
55	Fire alarm /ˈfaɪər əˈlɑːrm/	The fire alarm sounded throughout the building.
56	Fire extinguisher /ˈfaɪər ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ.ər/	Every office must have a fire extinguisher within easy reach.
57	Fire escape /ˈfaɪər ɪˈskeɪp/	Residents used the fire escape during the emergency evacuation.
58	Fire drill /ˈfaɪər drɪl/	The school conducted a fire drill every month.
59	Fire safety /ˈfaɪər ˈseɪf.ti/	The seminar focused on fire safety measures in the workplace.
60	Fire brigade /ˈfaɪər brɪˈɡeɪd/	The local fire brigade responded within five minutes.

7. Additional Fire Actions

No.	Collocations with Fire	Example
61	Fire a round /ˈfaɪər ə raʊnd/	The soldier was ordered to fire a round.
62	Fire a volley /ˈfaɪər ə ˈvɑː.li/	The troops were commanded to fire a volley.
63	Fire tear gas /ˈfaɪər tɪər ɡæs/	Police had to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd.
64	Soldiers fired /ˈsoʊl.dʒərz ˈfaɪərd/	The soldiers fired their rifles in unison during the military exercise.
65	Return fire /rɪˈtɜːrn ˈfaɪər/	The troops had orders to return fire only if attacked first.

These fire collocations represent essential vocabulary for English learners preparing for international examinations like IELTS, TOEFL, or professional certifications. Mastering these combinations improves both written and spoken English fluency, particularly in academic, technical, and emergency contexts.

For more collocations with Fire, click on the link below:

EXPLORE MORE COLLOCATIONS WITH FIRE ON COLLINS!

III. Exercises on collocations with Fire

To better understand the usage of collocations with Fire, let's complete the exercise section below together!

1. Exercise: Choose the correct answer

The log cabin was cozy with a ____________ in the hearth.
1. Blazing fire
2. Cause a fire
3. Douse a fire
Leaving candles unattended can easily _________.
1. Blazing fire
2. Cause a fire
3. Douse a fire
They worked together to __________ before it spread to the barn.
1. Blazing fire
2. Cause a fire
3. Douse a fire
Make sure to check your outlets regularly to prevent an ______________.
1. Electrical fire
2. Enemy fire
3. Blazing fire
They advanced cautiously, wary of __________ from the ridge.
1. Electrical fire
2. Enemy fire
3. Douse a fire

2. Answer

1 - A

2 - B

3 - C

4 - A

5 - B

Chloe

Product Content Admin

Hi I'm Chloe, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.