National Fire Safety Week is a way to spotlight fire safety and prevention.

Whether you are a home owner or renter, the latest National Fire Protection Association research found that cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Two of every five home fires start in the kitchen.
Here are 9 helpful safety tips to help you prevent kitchen fires:

1. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food.

 

2. Stay in the house and pay attention to what is happening. Many fires start because people do not check what they are cooking regularly.

 

3. Always use a timer. It will remind you that food is cooking.

 

4. Always keep a lid or baking soda close when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires.

 

5. If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible.

 

6. Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove.

 

7. When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves.

 

8. Keep anything that can burn away from your stovetop, especially potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, and towels.

 

9. Clean up food and grease from burners and stovetops.

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