Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the City of Burlington and Ontario. Most kitchen fires are caused by distractions and leaving cooking unattended.
Preventing kitchen fires
Be fire-safe in your kitchen with these tips.
Adults only!
- Keep young children and pets away from stovetops.
Be attentive
- Never leave a pot unattended on the stove, and always use a timer you can hear when baking. If you can't hear your oven timer from a different room, set a timer on your phone and keep it with you.
Be prepared
- Have a fire extinguisher in an accessible place and know how to use it.
Declutter and clean
- Keep objects such as food packaging, oven mitts and utensils away from burners. When you're done cooking, remove all items from the stovetop. Wipe up spills and keep your oven clean.
Keep it cool
- Use a heat-resistant surface to cool down cookware. Hot pots can burn or melt certain surfaces, creating a fire hazard.
How to handle a kitchen fire
Use these tips to control a fire on your stovetop, oven or microwave.
Oven and microwave fires
- If a fire starts in your oven, close the oven door and turn off the heat source. For a microwave fire, keep the door closed and turn off the microwave.
- If the fire does not go out, immediately leave your home and call 9-1-1.
Stovetop fires
- Put a lid on it! Use a potholder or oven mitts to put a pot lid over the flames then turn off the heat source. Never throw water on a stovetop fire. Only ABC fire extinguishers will work on a grease fire. Don't use other types of extinguishers, as they can spread the fire.
- If the flames don't go out, immediately leave your home and call 9-1-1.
Barbecue safety
Follow these safety tips when cooking on a barbecue.
- If a fire starts in your BBQ, close the lid and turn off the heat source including the propane or gas supply. Keep the lid closed
- Make sure the grill lid is open before lighting
- Never leave a lit grill unattended
- Place your barbecue away from your home, deck railings and under eaves