Fire Departments Warn Of Fire Danger On Thanksgiving

Overeating isn't the only danger on Thanksgiving Day. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the holiday is the leading day of the year for home-cooking fires.

Home-cooking fires triple on Thanksgiving. Across the country in 2010, there were 1,370 fires on Thanksgiving, a 219 percent increase over the daily average.

"Thanksgiving is a fun, festive holiday, but it's also very hectic," said Lorraine Carli, vice president of communications for NFPA. "All the entertaining and distractions make it easy to forget about what's cooking on the stovetop."

NFPA recommends the following safety tips to help prevent cooking-related fires:

1. Always stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

2. When simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

3. Stay alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don't use the stove or stovetop.

4. Keep anything that can catch fire such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains away from the stovetop.

If you have a cooking fire:

1. Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

2. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number from outside the home.

3. Keep a lid nearby when cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.

4. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.