Watch What You Heat! Cooking Related Fires Leading Cause of Home Fires!

By: Battalion Chief Mark Davis

Cooking-related fires continue to be one of the leading causes of fire in the home. According to United States Fire Administration data from 2008 to 2010:

On average, an estimated 164,500 cooking related fires in residential buildings occur each year in the United States;

Residential building cooking fires occurred mainly in the evening hours from 4 to 9 p.m., peaking from 5 to 8 p.m, accounting for 26 percent of the fires;

Oil, fat and grease (51 percent) were the leading types of material ignited in cooking fires occurring in residential buildings.

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries;

1 in 8 households will have a cooking fire each year;

The leading cause of kitchen fires is unattended cooking.

And sadly, Montgomery County's first fire death of 2013 occurred in the 1st Battalion and was the result of clothing that caught fire during cooking.

It is clear that cooking is dangerous. The numbers do not lie! Don't be distracted while you cook - it can save your life!