Feast without fire: Thanksgiving is by far the leading day for U.S. home cooking fires

More than three times as many home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving Day as on a typical day of the year.

That’s according to the latest U.S. Home Cooking Fires report recently released by the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA), which shows that there were 1,600 reported home cooking fires on Thanksgiving in 2017, reflecting a 238 percent increase over the daily average. Unattended cooking was the leading cause of these fires.

Cooking is the second-leading cause of home fire deaths, accounting for 22 percent of all fire deaths. There were more cooking fire deaths in 2013 — 2017 than in 1980 — 1984, despite total home fire deaths falling by 46 percent over the period.

Following are tips and recommendations from NFPA for cooking safely this Thanksgiving:

—Never leave the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop. Some types of cooking, especially those that involve frying or sautéing with oil, need continuous attention.

— Make use of timers to keep track of cooking times, particularly for foods that require longer cook times.

— Keep things that can catch fire like oven mitts, wooden utensils, food wrappers, and towels at least three feet away from the cooking area.

— Always cook with a lid beside your pan. If you have a fire, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Do not remove the cover because the fire could start again. Let the pan cool for a long time.

— Never throw water or use a fire extinguisher on the fire.

— For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. Only open the door once you’re confident the fire is completely out, standing to the side as you do.

— Keep children at least three feet away from the stove.

In addition, NFPA strongly discourages the use of turkey fryers, as these can lead to severe burns, injuries, and property damage. For a safe alternative, NFPA recommends grocery stores, food retailers, and restaurants that sell deep-fried turkey.