fight fires

fight fires

To deal with emergencies or urgent matters, rather than ordinary day-to-day tasks. I spent so much time today fighting fires with our suppliers that I didn't even have a chance to read my emails.
See also: fight, fire
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • just another day at the office
  • hands-on
  • day to day
  • day-to-day
  • face the day
  • everything tastes of porridge
  • from day to day
  • make a day of (doing something)
  • make a day of doing
  • make a day of it
References in classic literature
"Now," said the old man, holding up a finger, and laughing in his peculiarly silent manner, "you shall see fire fight fire! Ah's me!
The Prairie
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has ruled out accepting a G7 offer of aid to fight fires in the Amazon rainforest unless he gets an apology from his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.
Amazon fires: Brazil to reject G7 offer of $22m aid
Summary: Biarritz [France], Aug 26 (ANI): World leaders gathered at the G7 summit are nearing an agreement on how to help fight fires in the Amazon rainforest and try to repair the devastation, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday.
Major industrialised nations close to agreement on tackling Amazon forest fires: Macron
The Russian presidency said in a statement that Putin told his US counterpart by telephone that Russian authorities had formed a large air force to fight fires in Siberia.
Russian pres. praises US offer to help put out fires in Russia
The committee discussed the reasons for the frequent fires in KP, Murree and the Margalla Hills National Park, blaming the federal and provincial governments for not putting in enough effort to prevent and fight fires every year.
Senators criticise federal, provincial govts for frequent forest fires
A SMALL band of investors could drag beleaguered Nuneaton Borough out of the mire which is seeing the club 'fight fires' every day.
Boro 'fighting fires' every day in battle to save club
CALFIRE saw HSC squadrons, which fight fires at the Southern California Offshore Range (SCORE) at San Clemente Island, as a valuable force multiplier.
AERIAL BUCKET BRIGADE: Navy MH-60S Seahawks Assist San Diego During Wildfires
A helicopter based in Turkey will be sent to help fight fires in the north, Turkey's water and forestry minister said on Wednesday.
Turkey-based helicopters to fight fires in the north
Also on display was a truck by local firm NAFFCO, which has been specially designed to fight fires in industrial areas.
Latest blaze-tackling gear on show at Intersec Dubai
With the state deep in a four-year drought and erupting in devastating forest fires, approximately 4,000 low-level felons have been enlisted to clear brush and fight fires. Inmates participate in a four-week training process; earn two dollars a day in the program and two dollars an hour if they are on a fire line, as well as a two-day reduction from their sentence for each day they work; and learn useful skills--all while saving the state roughly $80 million a year.
Thirty percent of California's forest fighters are prison inmates
It would replace a truck that can take four firefighters to the scene of a fire, and can fight fires in buildings up to 30 feet tall.
South Lane fire trucks: Yes
It is the first time since 2006 the National Interagency Fire Centre (NIFC) has called on the US military to send soldiers to help fight fires.
US active duty soldiers to help fight wildfires in US West
And day in, day out - come wind, rain, or shine - they fight fires of every imaginable type in every part of the country.
Privatisation of our fire service will cost lives
But a review found half aged 50 to 54 and two thirds of over-55s are not fit enough to fight fires.
Firefighters in walk-out on pensions; STRIKE