Kitchens are a natural place for fires to start – you’re already working with open flames or very high heat. Take extra precautions to prevent fires.

Fire prevention in the kitchen

The number one cause of kitchen fires is unsupervised cooking. When you cook anything on top of the stove or in the oven, stick with it. For long-cooking dishes, plan activities that you can do in the kitchen, such as cleaning up or preparing other dishes. If “cooking activities” don’t come to mind, consider reading, writing, chatting with family or friends, or even reading a story to the kids. All of this can keep you happy and productively busy while you keep an eye on what’s cooking.

If you cannot or do not want to stay in the kitchen:

1. Frequently check the food that is cooking,
2. Install a working smoke alarm where it can warn of a possible fire.
3. Keep a fire extinguisher within easy reach.

Kitchens can be very active places, especially when preparing meals. These basic tips can increase your safety:

1. Wear tight-fitting, short-sleeved clothing when cooking. Loose clothing can catch fire more easily.
2. Supervise children closely in the kitchen. Teach them fire safety and proper handling of tools to avoid burns, cuts, or other injuries. Do this before teaching them to cook. Stay with the children through each step as they learn to cook. Reinforce and praise their safety skills.
3. Grease can build up quickly in the kitchen. Grease fires can quickly spread to the entire kitchen. Clean cooking surfaces and countertops frequently to prevent food and grease buildup. Ideally, this should be done immediately after cooking or during clean-up after each meal.
4. Keep flammable materials, such as curtains, towels, pot holders, plastic or paper bags, away from cooking surfaces.
5. Store all flammable solvents and cleaners away from all sources of heat. Never keep gasoline or kerosene in the house, especially in the kitchen.
6. While cooking, make sure pan handles are away from the front of the stove so that no one accidentally bumps into them. Boiling water or hot fat thrown from a pushed pan can cause severe burns. Keep the area in front of the stove clear and quiet while cooking.

putting out a fire

Even with the greatest care, one day you may have to put out a kitchen fire.

First, assess the danger. If the fire has spread beyond the oven or pan, call the fire department immediately. In most places, you can call 911 and you will be transferred to the necessary service.

If the fire is small and contained, such as food burning in a pan, these tips may help:

1. Slide a skillet lid over a fat or oil fire to smother the flames. Put out the fire. Watch closely to make sure the fire isn’t spreading somewhere unexpected. Leave the lid in place until cool. Once the fire is completely out and everything is cool, thoroughly clean anything that was involved in the fire, especially the stove or oven. If the flame came out of a pan, you’ll need to decide if there was any damage that needs to be fixed before you can cook again. Caution: never try to take a burning pan outside. Doing this increases the risk of spreading the fire and getting burned.
2. Have a large box of baking soda handy. Aside from its other uses, you can pour baking soda over most small food fires to put out the flames.
3. Never use water or flour to put out fires. Water added to a grease fire reacts violently, sending hot grease everywhere. This spreads the fire and increases the chance of getting burned. Flour can have a similar effect. Water spilled on the flames can also get into the electrical circuits of the stove or oven, which can complicate the situation and increase the danger.
4. If a fire occurs in your oven, keep the door closed and put out the fire. This will usually smother the flames without further risk.
5. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. There are several types of fire extinguishers, each designed for use with specific types of fire. Make sure you have the correct type; one that can put out grease-based fires most often found in kitchens. Make sure you know how to use the fire extinguisher. Check periodically to make sure it is in good working order.