If flames are seen outside an exit, what is the recommended action?

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Opening the exit to vent flames hinges on using exterior openings to relieve heat and smoke rather than letting them accumulate inside. When flames are seen outside, providing a controlled path for hot gases to escape to the outdoors helps reduce interior temperature and smoke buildup, lowers the risk of a dangerous backdraft or flashover inside, and can keep the doorway area safer for people evacuating. In contrast, blocking the exit traps heat and fire inside, going through an active fire at the doorway is dangerous, and simply running away without addressing the fire path doesn’t reduce the immediate hazard. So venting flames to the outside through the exit supports safer egress under these conditions.