Don’t let that turkey set your house on fire

Thanksgiving is by far the worst day for house fires in the U.S.

There were 1,600 reported home cooking fires, a 238% increase over the daily average, on Thanksgiving 2017, according to the U.S. Home Cooking Fires report released by the National Fire Protection Association. That’s more than three times the number of home cooking fires on a typical day.

The leading cause of these fires is unattended cooking, according to the report.

“With people preparing multiple dishes, often with lots of guests and other distractions in and around the kitchen, it’s easy to see why the number of home cooking fires increases so dramatically,” said Lorraine Carli, the association’s vice president of outreach and advocacy, in a statement. “Fortunately, the vast majority of cooking fires are highly preventable with a little added awareness, and by taking simple steps to minimize those risks.”

The following is a list of tips for cooking safely on Thanksgiving based on the advice of the association and the American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region.

Never leave the kitchen unattended while you’re cooking on the stovetop. Turn off the stove if you need to step out of the kitchen. Keep flammable items, such as towels, oven mitts and wooden utensils, at least three feet away from cooking areas.

Make good use of cooking timers to keep track of when a dish should be done and to remind yourself the stove or oven is on. Avoid wearing loose or hanging clothes or accessories that could easily come in contact with a heat source.

Keep children and pet at least three feet away from the stove and from hot foods and liquids. Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so they don’t accidentally get bumped when someone walks by them.

Stay in the house when you’re cooking turkey and check on it regularly.

Fires can start when the temperature gets too hot. If you’re frying food and start to see smoke or if the grease starts to boil, turn the burner off and carefully remove the pan from the heat source. Keep a pan lid or cookie sheet close by in case of a fire starting

in your pan. Use the lid or cookie sheet to cover the pan and put out the fire, and make sure to leave it in place until the pan has completely cooled.

For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed until you’re confident the fire is completely out. Stand to the side when you open the door just in case and call the fire department if you have doubts or concerns. Check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the house to make sure all appliances, burners and ovens are off.

The association also strongly discourages using turkey fryers, according to a press release, “as they can lead to severe burns, injuries, and property damage.”

“For a safe alternative,” the release states, “(the National Fire Protection Association) recommends grocery stores, food retailers, and restaurants that sell deep-fried turkey.”