Cooking Fires are the Leading Cause of Home Fires

“Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.” as official theme for Fire Prevention Week, October 8-14, 2023

The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) — the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week™ for more than 100 years — has announced “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.” as the theme for Fire Prevention Week, October 8-14, 2023. This year’s focus on cooking safety comes in response to NFPA’s latest cooking fire data, which shows that cooking remains by far the leading cause of U.S. home fires, with nearly half (49 percent) of all home fires involving cooking equipment; cooking is also the leading cause of home fire injuries and the second-leading cause of home fire deaths.

While other leading causes of home fires, such as smoking, have continued to decline since 1980, home cooking fires have not.

“These numbers tell us that more public awareness is needed around when and where cooking fires happen, along with ways to prevent them,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme presents a powerful opportunity to better educate the public about simple but important steps they can take to reduce their risk to home cooking fires, keeping themselves and those around them safe.”

Additional statistics from NFPA’s latest Home Cooking Fires report include the following:

Between 2017 and 2021, an average of 158,400 home cooking fires occurred in U.S. homes each year, resulting in 470 civilian deaths, 4,150 civilian injuries, and $1.15 billion in direct property damage.
In 2021, the number of reported cooking fires dropped to the lowest level seen since 2005. However, reported home cooking fires hit consecutive new highs in 2012–2015. In 2016–2018, these fires fell below the 2014 and 2015 levels, but remained historically high.
Unattended cooking was by far the leading factor in cooking fires and cooking fire deaths.
More than two-thirds (66 percent) of home cooking fires began with the ignition of cooking materials, including food, fat, and grease.

Following are cooking safety messages that support this year’s Fire Prevention Week theme, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.”:

Always keep a close eye on what you’re cooking. For foods with longer cook times, such as those that are simmering or baking, set a timer to help monitor them carefully.
Clear the cooking area of combustible items, keeping anything that can burn – such as dish towels, oven mitts, food packaging, and paper towels – at least three feet away from cooking equipment.
Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.
Create a “kid and pet free zone” of at least three feet (one meter) around the cooking area and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

“Staying in the kitchen, using a timer, and avoiding distractions that take your focus away from what’s on the stove are among the key messages for this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign,” said Carli.

Fire Prevention Week is celebrated throughout North American every October and is the oldest public health observance on record in the U.S. For 101 years, Fire Prevention Week has worked to educate people about the leading risks to home fires and ways they can better protect themselves and their loved ones. Local fire departments, schools, and community organizations play a key role in bringing Fire Prevention Week to life in their communities each year and spreading basic but critical fire safety messages.

To learn more about Fire Prevention Week and this year’s theme, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.,” visit www.fpw.org. Additional Fire Prevention Week resources for children, caregivers, and educators can be found at www.sparky.org and www.sparkyschoolhouse.org.

For this release and other announcements about NFPA initiatives, research and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.

About the National Fire Protection Association^® (NFPA^®)

Founded in 1896, NFPA® is a global self-funded nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more information, visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.