diff --git a/mods/nc_api/util_misc.lua b/mods/nc_api/util_misc.lua
index f0e199f0..04cb2fb7 100644
--- a/mods/nc_api/util_misc.lua
+++ b/mods/nc_api/util_misc.lua
@@ -41,6 +41,29 @@ function nodecore.mkreg()
 	return f, t
 end
 
+function nodecore.fairlimit(max)
+	local queue = {}
+	local qty = 0
+	local function add(item)
+		qty = qty + 1
+		if qty > max then
+			local id = math_random(1, qty)
+			if id <= max then
+				queue[id] = item
+			end
+		else
+			queue[qty] = item
+		end
+	end
+	local function flush()
+		local batch = queue
+		queue = {}
+		qty = 0
+		return batch
+	end
+	return add, flush
+end
+
 function nodecore.memoize(func)
 	local cachedval
 	local cached
diff --git a/mods/nc_api_craft/fx_smoke.lua b/mods/nc_api_craft/fx_smoke.lua
index 3b052928..4fe1b1c5 100644
--- a/mods/nc_api_craft/fx_smoke.lua
+++ b/mods/nc_api_craft/fx_smoke.lua
@@ -1,41 +1,50 @@
 -- LUALOCALS < ---------------------------------------------------------
-local math, minetest, nodecore, type
-    = math, minetest, nodecore, type
+local ipairs, math, minetest, nodecore, type
+    = ipairs, math, minetest, nodecore, type
 local math_random
     = math.random
 -- LUALOCALS > ---------------------------------------------------------
 
+local smoke_add, smoke_flush = nodecore.fairlimit(50)
+
 local smoking = {}
 
+nodecore.register_globalstep("smoke queue", function()
+		for _, item in ipairs(smoke_flush()) do
+			local pos, qty, time = item.pos, item.qty, item.time
+			local now = minetest.get_us_time() / 1000000
+			local key = minetest.hash_node_position(pos)
+			local old = smoking[key]
+			if old and now < old.exp then minetest.delete_particlespawner(old.id) end
+			if (not time) or (time <= 0) then
+				smoking[key] = nil
+				return
+			end
+			if type(qty) ~= "number" then qty = 1 end
+			if qty < 1 then
+				if math_random() > qty then return end
+				qty = 1
+			end
+			smoking[key] = {
+				id = minetest.add_particlespawner({
+						texture = "nc_api_craft_smoke.png",
+						collisiondetection = true,
+						amount = (qty or 2) * time,
+						time = time,
+						minpos = {x = pos.x - 0.4, y = pos.y - 0.4, z = pos.z - 0.4},
+						maxpos = {x = pos.x + 0.4, y = pos.y + 0.4, z = pos.z + 0.4},
+						minvel = {x = -0.1, y = 0.3, z = -0.1},
+						maxvel = {x = 0.1, y = 0.7, z = 0.1},
+						minexptime = 1,
+						maxexptime = 5,
+						minsize = 1,
+						maxsize = 3
+					}),
+				exp = now + time
+			}
+		end
+	end)
+
 function nodecore.smokefx(pos, time, qty)
-	local now = minetest.get_us_time() / 1000000
-	local key = minetest.hash_node_position(pos)
-	local old = smoking[key]
-	if old and now < old.exp then minetest.delete_particlespawner(old.id) end
-	if (not time) or (time <= 0) then
-		smoking[key] = nil
-		return
-	end
-	if type(qty) ~= "number" then qty = 1 end
-	if qty < 1 then
-		if math_random() > qty then return end
-		qty = 1
-	end
-	smoking[key] = {
-		id = minetest.add_particlespawner({
-				texture = "nc_api_craft_smoke.png",
-				collisiondetection = true,
-				amount = (qty or 2) * time,
-				time = time,
-				minpos = {x = pos.x - 0.4, y = pos.y - 0.4, z = pos.z - 0.4},
-				maxpos = {x = pos.x + 0.4, y = pos.y + 0.4, z = pos.z + 0.4},
-				minvel = {x = -0.1, y = 0.3, z = -0.1},
-				maxvel = {x = 0.1, y = 0.7, z = 0.1},
-				minexptime = 1,
-				maxexptime = 5,
-				minsize = 1,
-				maxsize = 3
-			}),
-		exp = now + time
-	}
+	return smoke_add({pos = pos, time = time, qty = qty})
 end
diff --git a/mods/nc_fire/abm.lua b/mods/nc_fire/abm.lua
index f21853d5..9f53e135 100644
--- a/mods/nc_fire/abm.lua
+++ b/mods/nc_fire/abm.lua
@@ -7,13 +7,10 @@ local math_random
 
 local modname = minetest.get_current_modname()
 
-local sparks = {}
-local sparkqty = 0
-local sparkmax = 50
+local sparks_add, sparks_flush = nodecore.fairlimit(50)
+
 nodecore.register_globalstep("fire sparks", function()
-		if sparkqty < 1 then return end
-		for i = 1, #sparks do
-			local pos = sparks[i]
+		for _, pos in ipairs(sparks_flush()) do
 			minetest.after(math_random(), function()
 					minetest.add_particlespawner({
 							amount = math_random(1, 3),
@@ -35,8 +32,6 @@ nodecore.register_globalstep("fire sparks", function()
 						})
 				end)
 		end
-		sparks = {}
-		sparkqty = 0
 	end)
 
 do
@@ -55,16 +50,7 @@ do
 			chance = 1,
 			nodenames = {modname .. ":fire"},
 			action = function(pos)
-				sparkqty = sparkqty + 1
-				if sparkqty > sparkmax then
-					local sparkid = math_random(1, sparkqty)
-					if sparkid <= sparkmax then
-						sparks[sparkid] = pos
-					end
-				else
-					sparks[sparkqty] = pos
-				end
-
+				sparks_add(pos)
 				local found = {}
 				for _, dp in ipairs(flamedirs) do
 					local npos = vector.add(pos, dp)