‘Most kitchen fires are preventable’: EFRS shares fire safety tips

Firefighters tell us you only have about three minutes to escape a house fire – that’s significantly less time than the approximately 17 minutes you would have had about 40 years ago.

That’s because many homes have open floor plans, and a lot of synthetic fibers that can cause a flame to burn faster and hotter, and most of those fires start in the kitchen.

In Edmonton, cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires. Last year alone, there were 131 residential cooking-related fires in the city, causing about $3.5 million in damages.

“To safety put out a grease fire, put on your oven mitt, grab your non-combustible lid that comes with the pot, come in from the side and protect yourself, put the lid over, and if it’s safe to do so, turn off the heat,” explained Caryn Levert, a fire prevention officer with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services.

EFRS responded to more than 700 residential fires last year. They say most of these were preventable. 

“Don’t have combustibles too close to a heat source, never use water on a grease fire, and absolutely always stay with your cooking,” Levert explained.

EFRS adding the following safety tips to help reduce the risk of a cooking fire.

• Watch what you heat. Always keep a close eye on what you are cooking and never leave cooking unattended;
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove;
• Always keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner;
• Have a “kid and pet-free zone” of at least three feet (one metre) around the stove or grill and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

Those are just a few tips to prevent a kitchen fire. EFRS has a Home Fire Safety Assessment where you can see what improvements your home may need to decrease the risk of a fire.

“If you finish the home fire assessment by October 30th, you’re entered into a draw to win a meal with the local firefighters at your local fire station, as well as we have a community prize to have a block party hosted by Edmonton Fire Rescue Services,” said Levert.

Firefighters are using Fire Prevention Week as an opportunity to increase awareness of fire risks. They have drop-in interactive displays all week long allowing you to test your knowledge.

“It’s your working smoke alarm that is going to save your life.”

For more on Fire Prevention Week in Edmonton, click here.