The king soon realized that fire was completely out of control. He called a meeting of the Privy Council - a group of important men who could help and advise him. Together they decided to make several 'fire posts' in the city, where the fire - fighters were given everything they needed to fight the fire. King Charles led the fight, and he gave a special guinea coin to every helper. (One guinea was worth a bit more than one English pound, which was a lot of money in those day.) He worked for thirty hours without sleep, and he was much loved for his bravery.
King Charles and his men decided to clear part of the city by pulling down some houses, so that the fire had nothing to burn there. This stopped the fire, and by Wednesday 5 September 1666, the fire was finally under control.