Why does hot water extinguish fire?

Question

Why does hot water extinguish fire?

Answer 1

Water has a high specific heat capacity ,so absorbs a lot of heat and thereby cooling the temperature and extinguishing the fire

Answer 2

The highest temperature liquid water can be is 100C.  That is still much cooler than fire, so by putting water on the fire, it will cool it and smother it which puts it out.

Answer 3

Fire needs oxygen in order to burn.  Water on a fire deprives it of oxygen.

Answer 4

um, it's water.

Answer 5

These people who said it cools the fire are knuckleheads.  Water, any temperature, will choke off oxygen, and smother the flames.  No air supply, no combustion.  Period.

Was I the only one who paid attention in science class?

Answer 6

Even hot water is cooler than fire.  Water douses flame in two ways: 1) it evaporates when it hits the flame, causing rapid cooling.. and 2) Water smothers the flame, starving it of oxygen.