Guide to kitchen cooking fire prevention and safety

Cooking is an almost unavoidable daily task for most people, but that doesn't mean you can afford to be complacent in the kitchen. 

Don't walk away from boiling pots, heated pans or cooktops that have been turned on. It's easy for a pot to overboil if unattended, or for food to stick and catch fire if you're not watching it. 

Keep flammable objects and materials away from heat sources. For example, don’t leave tea towels or kitchen paper close to the stove. Likewise, don’t place your toaster beneath curtains. 

Another hazard is pot and pan handles, which need to be turned towards the centre of the stove to help prevent fires and injuries. A handle facing out can be easily bumped, heightening the risk of spills and burns from hot food or oil. 

It's a great idea to teach kids about cooking, but make sure you're always supervising them. Kidsafe notes that the kitchen is the most likely place for a child to be burned, with 50 per cent of cases occuring there. Help keep your kids safe by never leaving them alone in the kitchen and maintaining a child safe household. 

A clean kitchen is also a safe kitchen. Wipe down your stove top, oven, griller and range hood regularly to prevent oil, dust and grease from building up and potentially fuelling fires. 

Regularly cleaning out your toaster for crumbs can also help prevent fires.

Fires can be prevented by keeping appliances like toasters and microwaves clean and in good working order. Check the cords for damage and replace if worn.

Having your cooktop and oven inspected by a licensed professional can also ensure two of your primary cooking appliances are working safely and effectively.

Converting your gas or standard electric cooktop to an induction cooktop can also improve kitchen safety, as they do not produce flames or radiant heat.

Fires can even start in the safest kitchen, so it pays to be ready. The CFA recommends keeping a fire blanket and fire extinguisher in your home and knowing what to do in the event of a fire breaking out. The blanket and extinguisher should be stored somewhere that is easily accessed, but isn't in the immediate cooking area. 

In the event a fire does start in your kitchen, turn off the stove if safe to do so. Never use water to extinguish what you suspect is a grease, oil or fat fire. Use a fire blanket or extinguisher if available and you feel confident in using them. Be mindful that only wet chemical fire extinguishers are designed to extinguish grease fires. 

If you do not have the correct equipment or ability to extinguish the fire yourself, immediately evacuate everyone from the house, closing the kitchen door behind you if safe to do so, and then call Triple 000.

Fires can start quickly, taking hold in a room within three minutes. A working fire alarm can alert you within 30 seconds, helping keep your family safe. 

The CFA recommends installing smoke alarms powered by a 10-year-long life battery in all sleeping and living areas of their home. They also recommend connecting these smoke alarms so that if one is triggered, all of them will alert you. If you're unsure, qualified professionals can supply and install smoke alarms in your home. 

Be sure to check your smoke alarm each year and regularly clean it. Leave it to qualified professionals if you’re not comfortable changing a smoke alarm battery yourself, or working at height on a ladder.