Thanksgiving day is the biggest cooking day of the year, and it is consequently, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the day in which the most cooking related home fires occur.

With so many distractions going on and so many dishes to keep track of, it’s harder at Thanksgiving to keep the things you’re cooking under control. The NFPA has created a few tips to help home cooks have a safe Thanksgiving this year:



• Don’t stray too far from the food you’re cooking

• If you have to leave your house, turn off the stove or oven

• Check food regularly and use a timer to remind you that the stove or oven is on

• Keep alert. If you’re sleepy, have been drinking, or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy, don’t try to cook

• Make sure to always keep flammable objects such as paper towels and oven mitts away from the stovetop

• Don’t store flammable objects in an oven, microwave, or toaster oven

• Clean food and grease from burners, stovetops, and ovens

• Wear clothes with short, close-fitting, or tightly rolled up sleeves

• Don’t let kids come within three feet of the stove

• Use the the back burners on your stove when possible, and turn pot handles inward to avoid knocking the pots over

• Never hold a small child while cooking



Chief Stanley Lucky of the Bailey Volunteer Fire Department says that the biggest problem from home cooking fires arises when people leave fires unattended.

“Please, always stay near your fires and never leave the house while something is cooking,” he said.

Lucky also advises cooks to do their grilling under the open sky. Firing up a grill in the carport or any other enclosed or partially enclosed area can lead to fires and to smoke-related health risks.

For more information about safe cooking visit www.nfpa.org.