diff --git a/code/ZAS/Fire.dm b/code/ZAS/Fire.dm
index 100c45f93d4..5dd0ac3cd31 100644
--- a/code/ZAS/Fire.dm
+++ b/code/ZAS/Fire.dm
@@ -239,13 +239,18 @@ turf/proc/hotspot_expose(exposed_temperature, exposed_volume, soh = 0)
 		//world << "gas_reaction_progress = [gas_reaction_progress]"
 		
 		var/total_reaction_progress = gas_reaction_progress + liquid_reaction_progress
-		if(total_reaction_progress <= 0)
-			return 0
-		
 		var/used_fuel = min(total_reaction_progress, reaction_limit)
 		var/used_oxidizers = used_fuel*(FIRE_REACTION_OXIDIZER_AMOUNT/FIRE_REACTION_FUEL_AMOUNT)
 		//world << "used_fuel = [used_fuel]; used_oxidizers = [used_oxidizers]; reaction_limit=[reaction_limit]"
 		
+		//if the reaction is progressing too slow then it isn't self-sustaining anymore and burns out
+		if(zone && zone.fuel_objs.len)
+			if(used_fuel <= FIRE_LIQUD_MIN_BURNRATE)
+				return 0
+		else if(used_fuel <= FIRE_GAS_MIN_BURNRATE*group_multiplier) //purely gas fires have more stringent criteria
+			return 0
+
+		
 		//*** Remove fuel and oxidizer, add carbon dioxide and heat
 		
 		//remove and add gasses as calculated
diff --git a/code/setup.dm b/code/setup.dm
index e500df44535..667ccd4c2e0 100644
--- a/code/setup.dm
+++ b/code/setup.dm
@@ -133,6 +133,11 @@
 #define FIRE_GAS_BURNRATE_MULT			1
 #define FIRE_LIQUID_BURNRATE_MULT		0.5
 
+//If the fire is burning slower than this rate then the reaction is going too slow to be self sustaining and the fire burns itself out.
+//This ensures that fires don't grind to a near-halt while still remaining active forever.
+#define FIRE_GAS_MIN_BURNRATE				0.1
+#define FIRE_LIQUD_MIN_BURNRATE				0.05
+
 //How many moles of fuel are contained within one solid/liquid fuel volume unit
 #define LIQUIDFUEL_AMOUNT_TO_MOL		1  //mol/volume unit