Cooking fire safety checklist for the stove and the kitchen

Fire departments in the United States responded to about 170,000 home cooking fires in 2021. They caused an estimated 135 deaths, 3,000 injuries and more than $494 million in property loss. Unattended cooking was the leading cause of the fires that spread beyond the pan, at 37 percent.

At the stove

• Stand by your panIf you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off. Stay in the kitchen the whole time you're frying, grilling or broiling.
• Keep the heat moderateFires start when the heat is too high.
• Turn the burner off at the first smokeTurn it off if the grease starts to boil, too.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stoveThen nobody can bump them or pull a pot over.
• Roll up your sleevesWear short or close-fitting sleeves, or roll them up tightly.

If a pan catches fire

• Slide a lid or baking sheet over the panCovering the pan puts the fire out.
• Turn off the burner
• Get out if it spreadsUse an extinguisher only on a small fire contained to one object, such as a pan. Otherwise, warn everyone, leave and call 911 from outside.

Setting up the kitchen

• Clear the area around the stovetopKeep anything that can catch fire away from it.
• Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchenA multipurpose extinguisher rated B-C or A-B-C works on most home fires.
• Plug kitchen appliances straight into the wallDon't use extension cords for kitchen appliances.
• Never disable the smoke alarm while you cook
• Never leave children alone near a hot stove

Before you reach for the extinguisher

Use an extinguisher only if you can answer yes to all of these. Everyone else in the house knows there's a fire, and someone has called the fire department. The fire is small and contained to one object, such as a pan. You're clear of the smoke and have a way out behind you. Young children and older adults shouldn't use an extinguisher. To use it, pull the pin, aim low at the base of the fire, squeeze the lever slowly and sweep from side to side.