Put Out Fires: Meaning and Examples in Business English

Learn Business English phrases with our Phrase of the Week!

This week’s phrase is perfect for busy days when you’re constantly dealing with problems.

What Would You Do in This Situation?

Imagine this!

You’re deep into your work when suddenly, a client calls. There’s an issue with a delivery. Then your teammate messages you—something broke in the system. And your manager? They need an urgent update... now.

You sigh and say, “I’ve been putting out fires all morning.”

Sound familiar? Let’s break it down.

This Week’s Phrase:

PUT OUT FIRES

idiom

to deal with urgent and unexpected problems instead of doing your regular tasks

Put Out Fires: Listen to a Real-Life Example

Put Out Fires: Meaning and Examples in Business English. Two women converse at a table. One asks about the day; the other replies about a busy morning. Text overlays show their conversation. — Put Out Fires: Real-Life Example by REAL Business English

Put Out Fires: More Real-Life Examples

Project Deadline

Too many small issues are slowing the team down.

– How’s the launch coming?

– Honestly? We’ve just been putting out fires all week.

– Like what?

– Bugs, missing files, last-minute changes—everything.

Customer Support

Multiple customers are having problems at once.

– You look stressed.

– Yeah, I’ve been putting out fires all morning.

– What happened?

– Website went down, and now everyone’s calling in.

Event Planning

Things keep going wrong before the big event.

– Ready for tomorrow’s conference?

– Not yet. I’ve been putting out fires all day.

– Oh no. What now?

– The catering canceled, and one speaker just dropped out.

Let’s Chat!

Have you ever had a day where all you did was put out fires? What happened?

Yes! Yesterday was nonstop. My team had tech issues, a client was upset, and I had to fix everything. I couldn’t touch my real work all day! (Judy, native English speaker)