Fire

Fire can happen in Sims' homes, burning furniture and objects. Fires can start from cooking accidents, using objects that use fire, inventing on the Scraptronic™ Workbench or magic.

A fire can spread from its original tile and will eventually burn objects, but if it is extinguished early enough, the objects can be saved. Urns or tombstones cannot be burned. Fire makes the build and buy modes unavailable, so Sims or objects cannot be moved out of the way, and fire alarms can't be bought.

A fire can be extinguished by any Sim, but Sims can also die in a fire. It is therefore better to call a firefighter. If a fire alarm is in the same room as the fire, the Fire Department will automatically be called. In most games, the Sim extinguishing the fire will "generate" a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. However, in The Sims 2 for consoles, a fire extinguisher must be bought before a Sim can put out a fire and is offered for purchase in buy mode. The player can also go to Classic Mode and put out the fire using the action. As of The Sims 3 for PC platforms, the message "A fire has started on your home lot" will be displayed to alert the player to a fire. This message is also used in The Sims 3 for consoles.

In The Sims 3, a warning will appear if the player tries to save when there is a fire. However, The Sims 3 (console) and The Sims 3 Pets will not allow saving if there is a fire.

How fires start
The main way to start a fire is through a cooking accident. A Sim is more likely to start a fire when cooking a meal for the first time, or one that he or she has just enough Cooking points to be able to make. Even a Sim with 10 Cooking points may start a fire if he/she is cooking a very difficult meal like Lobster Thermidor or Baked Alaska. Also, a Sim can perfectly cook Baked Alaska, but can set him/herself on fire when lighting the flambé.

Fires can happen in a few different situations:


 * The Sims
 * A Sim cooks or grills with little or no Cooking skill.
 * A Sim or object is placed too close to a lit fireplace.
 * When using the rocket set, a rocket may hit a Sim or object and catch fire.
 * The failed "Fire" or "Leisure" wish from a Genie.
 * If the Enchant spell backfires, whatever the Sim was trying to enchant will catch fire.
 * If fireworks are launched indoors.
 * Lighting a fireplace in the same room as an oxygen bar will set it ablaze, whether Sims are using it or not.
 * A Sim can go through spontaneous combustion without warning. It's the rarest way, and also considered to be a glitch. Sometimes the fire does not appear.


 * The Urbz
 * Using the Firecracker Dance or Blow Flame can cause a fire.
 * In the Cozmo Street district, a Sim watching another Sim juggle fire sticks may spontaneously catch fire.


 * The Sims 2
 * There's a chance that a fire will start when Sim fails to cook food.
 * A cooked meal being left too long in the oven, stove, or microwave.
 * Cooking a dessert requiring flambé, such as Baked Alaska and Crepes Suzette.
 * Grilling indoors on a residential lot.
 * Failing while repairing a broken electrical object. This happens usually after the Sim gets electrocuted.
 * Placing objects too close to a fireplace or the bonfire from University.
 * Using Genuine Buck's Famous Counterfeiting Machine Aspiration reward for more than three hours.
 * Leaving a Christmas Tree on for too long.
 * A Sim or object is standing or placed too close to the flame jets. Additionally, Sims might catch fire while roasting marshmallows.
 * An outdoor object is struck by lightning in heavy rains.
 * When burning raked leaves, nearby objects might catch fire.
 * Using the Weathernaught 57X Aspiration reward with low aspiration can cause a rain of fire which will set the ground on fire.
 * A Sim with heatstroke will have a slight chance (0.1%) of spontaneous combustion.
 * The train set has a 2% chance of catching fire when being operated.
 * Casting the Inflammo magic spell.


 * The Sims 3
 * Cooking on a cheap stove with a Sim that has a low cooking level.
 * Leaving food that is still being cooked on a stove or grill, allowing the food to catch fire.
 * Placing objects too close to a fireplace.
 * Blowing out candles on a birthday cake.
 * Failing to properly complete a science experiment (Mad Scientist, Science career track).
 * Burning something nearby, as a Pyromaniac trait.
 * Getting electrocuted while being singed.
 * Starting fireworks indoors. When using them outdoors, sometimes fireworks will fail to launch.
 * Triggering a fire trap inside tombs.
 * Failure while inventing at the workbench.
 * Failing to use the blowtorch while sculpting metal.
 * Falling meteor, which may cause fire on impact.
 * Detonating an object.
 * Using a unicorn's Ignite ability.
 * Performing You Are Special sing-a-gram, which has a chance for the Singer to catch fire.
 * Using Fire Blast spell as a witch.
 * Eating jelly bean. There is a 3% chance a Sim will catch fire when eating one.
 * Eating spicy food and getting "Too Spicy" moodlet. This may randomly start a fire.
 * Chance of spontaneous combustion if Sim's temperature is too high.
 * Daring a Sim to Divide by Zero.
 * Failing to use the firewalk pit.

NOTE: In The Sims 3 fires are much more likely to start when using cheap fireplaces, grills, or stoves. Leaving a fireplace burning for more than a couple Sim days is not advised, as it increases the chance of the object catching fire.

Sims' reaction to fire
Fire in the room causes a Sim's needs to drop quickly, and Sims will panic, stopping all actions to run towards the fire and complain, becoming completely useless. While the player can cancel the "Fire!" action and tell the Sims to move away from the fire, the Sims are likely to cancel that action and go back to the fire. Sims who have learned Fire Prevention can be partially immune to this. In The Sims 2: Apartment Life, evil witches and warlocks will not react to fires that they start.

In The Sims 3 however, Sims are smarter and give the player more time to choose an action. Of course, many interactions are disabled during this time so choices are limited. Catching on fire causes a Sim's needs to drop very quickly. It is impossible to tell a Sim that is on fire to do anything else, but another Sim can extinguish him or her. Also in The Sims 3, fire will no longer cause a Sims needs to decline, however they will receive the "On Fire!" moodlet. If not extinguished within 1 hour (30 minutes if the Sim was already singed) the Sim will die. Babies and toddlers cannot die by fire. Many adults will autonomously carry babies and toddlers out of the house if they spot a fire. Sims who live in an apartment will autonomously get out of their apartment until the fire fighter arrives. If the apartment has no fire alarm, the landlord will eventually call the fire department.

Many Sims will have a Fear of fire, and lose Aspiration Points if they see one. Sims with the Daredevil trait may wish to be involved in a fire whereas coward Sims will faint if they see a fire.

In The Sims 3, if the house of the family that is being played catches fire, neighbors may take notice and will stand outside of the house acting worried. Additionally, if a house next door catches fire and a Firefighter goes to put it out, the other playable Sims on the active lot will run outside and panic as though the fire is on the home lot.

Extinguishing a fire
A fire alarm will automatically call the fire department; unless the firemen cannot get to the fire, they will extinguish the flames. A Sim can also call the fire department using either a house phone or a cell phone. A teen or older Sim who is not on fire can try to "Extinguish" a fire. In The Sims 3: Supernatural, an awakened Bonehilda will stop what she is doing and attempt to extinguish the fire.

With Makin' Magic, one of the Crystal Clear Ability Rocks can give magical Sims the ability to summon a cloud that will quickly extinguish a fire. This may save the burning object, but the Sim may be fined if non-magical Sims see it happen. With The Sims 2: Apartment Life, a good witch can use the Exflammo spell to extinguish fires. In The Sims 3: Supernatural witches can use an Ice Blast to extinguish fires.

The Sims 2: University introduced the Skimmer Securities Ceiling Sprinkler, which will immediately extinguish a fire, although they leave a watery mess behind, and Sims will react to the sprinklers. One sprinkler will cover a 5x5 area. In Open for Business, Sims can construct HydroBots, which will put out fires when working. In Seasons, fires caused by lightning are often extinguished by the rain.

In The Sims 3: Ambitions, Sims are able to be firefighters and fight much bigger blazes. Those firefighters are also equipped with a fire extinguisher in their inventory, which they can use both on and off the job. Sims using the inventor workbench who catch fire can put themselves out by using the shower.

In The Sims 3 Pets for consoles, casting the Bless the Mess karma power can extinguish fires and replace burnt objects for free. The power takes about ten seconds to extinguish these flames. Sims will stop panicking and will begin to cheer when the fire disappears.

Fire Extinguisher
In most Sims games, Sims will "generate" a fire extinguisher when told to extinguish a fire. However, fire extinguishers are buyable in the console versions of The Sims 2 and The Sims 2 Pets. This fire extinguisher is required to put out a fire in The Sims 2, however it has no uses in The Sims 2 Pets. In The Sims 3: Ambitions, Sims in the firefighter profession will have a personal fire extinguisher, which they can use both on and off the job. In addition to that, they can be upgraded with the handiness skill, it will change the smoke and power of the extinguisher.

Death by fire
If a Sim catches on fire they can die. Catching on fire causes a Sim's needs to drop very quickly. In The Sims, Sims who catch on fire are destined to die and cannot be saved. In The Sims 2, Sims have a short period of time to be extinguished, and if still on fire at the end of the period, they will die. In The Sims 3, Sims will get the "On Fire" moodlet for an hour, and will die when the moodlet expires. It is not possible for a Sim who is on fire to leave the fire behind by teleporting. He/she will still be on fire at his/her new location.

The Grim Reaper will come when they die. The Grim Reaper may pass through another Sim who is also on fire, extinguishing the flames from that Sim. It is not known whether this is a bug or a feature.

Sims who die by fire will have a flame as their grave symbol. Death by fire has its own ghost type. In The Sims 2, the Sim appears red and smoking; in The Sims 3, they appear orange with an animated flame and smoke "texture". They will sometimes swim in pools or in the sea. While these ghosts are not always angry or violent, they are more likely to be unquiet, causing them to sometimes get easily angry at anybody.

In both The Sims and The Sims 2, Sims on fire can only be extinguished by other Sims and will not respond to any instruction from the player. In The Sims 2, Sims who have not realized that they are on fire can be told to extinguish the fire, though they will eventually realize they are on fire, and panic.

In The Sims 3, Sims can walk around while on fire; if there is a pool on the lot, it is possible for them to jump in the pool to extinguish the fire. A shower can also be used by Sims to extinguish themselves. In The Sims 3, a Sim that catches fire and is put out will get the "Singed" moodlet for a while.

Related traits
Pyromaniac ''Sims can only get this trait if they are the offspring of a firefighter Sim. The trait allows them to set fire to random objects and they get positive moodlets for doing so!''

Immune to Fire ''Fire Fighters are able to survive countless fires; not because of their natural immunity to fire. It's a trait that they pass on to their children.''

Trivia

 * In the Cozmo Street district of The Urbz: Sims in the City, when a Sim watching another Sim juggle fire sticks catches fire and the player's Sim works at bartending, will.i.am can tell the bartender "Yeah, baby, you're on fire!" which seems to be directed at the ablaze Sim.
 * In The Sims 2, If a Sim is relaxing on a bed, and the player blocks their way so that they can't get up from the bed, the Sim will not get burned or die of fire when the bed is burning. The bed will not turn into ash either.
 * In The Sims 2, if a family moves out while there is a fire, it will still be there when the next family moves in.
 * In The Sims 2: Open for Business, in ownable community lots, the lot can be saved, and the owner can leave. Whenever a Sim visits the community lot, however, fire will automatically break at the same spot.
 * In The Sims 2 Open for Business, Servos are immune to fire, but will still panic at the sight of one unless they've learned Fire Prevention.
 * In The Sims Castaway Stories, when a volcano erupts, fireballs can fall from the sky causing a fire.
 * In The Sims 3, if a Sim catches on fire while sitting down, but cannot stand up because something is blocking its way, the Sim will not die of fire. If a Sim is carrying a baby and catches on fire (such as from a birthday cake for the baby) the Sim cannot run to a shower to put themselves out, because they cannot drop the baby, and will die.
 * In The Sims 3: Ambitions there is a way to enter Build/Buy Mode while there is a fire, simply open the cheat box (by pressing Ctrl+Shift+C all at the same time), and type in "AlwaysAllowBuildBuy true" ("testingcheatsenabled true" is required). this will let you go into Build/Buy Mode in any situation. If you use this along with the "moveobjects on" cheat you can move Sims away from the fire, or even quicken their death (make sure there is a flame that has just started and is barely noticeable, and place your Sim over the flame to kill them).
 * In The Sims 3: Supernatural, witches can cast a fire blast spell and put it out, and will still be reimbursed for the fire, even though nothing is damaged and the fire is intentional. This will allow the players to gain easy money.
 * Ghosts, SimBots, and plumbots are the only life states in The Sims 3 that are immune to fire. Genies always have the hidden Immune to Fire trait.
 * Since ghosts, Simbots, and plumbots are naturally immune to fire, the trait would be useless to them. Nevertheless, they will still freak out when they see fire.