placing a blanket on fire cuts off the oxygen & a fire requires oxygen to burn -> placing a orderly on water beaks off the space required for water to water placing a blanket on fire cuts off the oxygen required for fire to burn  placing a orderly on water beaks off the space required for water to water & if something is required for a process then keeping that something from reaching that process can stop that process -> placing a blanket on fire will stop the fire from burning