Agency warns Californians to be fire safe during holiday cooking

Thanksgiving is a time of food, fun and festivities; but this time of year is also a time to be extra cautious as thousands of home fires across the nation are caused from holiday cooking.

With friends and family visiting, it’s important to not get distracted and to be aware of your cooking activities.

“The holidays bring inherent fire danger that can quickly lead to tragedy if you don’t take just a few easy steps to prevent a fire,” said Chief Tonya Hoover, California’s State Fire Marshal. “Just by keeping an ‘eye on what you fry’, you can reduce the chance of a cooking caused fire.”

To help reduce the chance of fire and injuries associated with cooking fires, CAL FIRE offers these following suggestions:

Don’t leave cooking unattended and keep an eye on what you fry. If you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off.
Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Someone walking by is less likely to bump them and it prevents a curious child from pulling them over.
Food preparation and cooking should always be supervised by an adult.
When using a turkey fryer, be sure to follow instructions closely. Don’t exceed the recommended oil level and only use the device outdoors away from structures!
Make sure a fire extinguisher is handy at all times. Never use water to put out a grease fire.
Ensure you have working smoke alarms installed throughout your home.