Cooking is consistently the second-leading cause of home fire deaths and the main source of house fire injuries.
The most common day of the year for home cooking fires is unquestionably Thanksgiving Day.
On Thanksgiving Day in 2021, 1,160 home cooking fires were reported to fire stations nationwide.
Denver, Colorado (KDVR) — The fact that kitchen fires spike sharply on Thanksgiving would not come as a surprise, but how many more home fires happen on Thanksgiving than on any other day?
Thanksgiving Day is by far the highest day of the year for home cooking fires, thus the National Fire Protection Association advises chefs to exercise a little more caution when preparing meals.
Cooking is consistently the top cause of home fires and injuries as well as the second-leading cause of home fire fatalities, according to the NFPA.
More than half of home fires that are recorded are caused by cooking, but Thanksgiving Day sees a rise in these incidents. On Thanksgiving Day in 2021, 1,160 home cooking fires were reported to fire stations nationwide, according to the NFPA.
This signifies a 297% rise in comparison to the daily mean.
“Thanksgiving is a busy holiday, with lots of people, entertaining, and simultaneous cooking and baking of multiple dishes. It can be easy to lose sight of what’s in the oven or on the stove,” according to Lorraine Carli of the NFPA.
With the holiday coming up, NFPA offers these tips to avoid fire while preparing a feast:
- Never leave the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop.
- Stay home while cooking a turkey, and check it regularly.
- Use timers to keep track of cooking times.
- Keep flammable items at least 3 feet away from the cooking area (oven mitts, wood spoons, wrappers, etc.)
- Avoid long sleeves and hanging fabric.
- Keep a lid near the pan while cooking.
- Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from hot surfaces and foods.
- Keep hot foods and liquids away from table edges.
What to do if grease catches fire
NFPA said cooks can smother the flames of a small grease fire by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Don’t remove the lid and let it cool.
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What to do if oven catches fire
NFPA recommends turning off the heat and keeping the door closed. Only open it when you are confident the fire is completely out, and stand to the side of the door.
If you have any doubts or concerns, NFPA says to call the fire department for help.
- Furthermore, the NFPA strongly advises against using cooking oil-based turkey fryers because they might result in severe burns. Instead, the NFPA suggests purchasing a fried turkey or an oil-free fryer.
The upcoming holidays are subject to the same data and advice. According to the NFPA, Christmas Eve and Day had almost twice as many home cooking fires as the daily average, placing them in second and third place, respectively.
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