This Fire Prevention Week — which runs Oct. 8-14 — our State Fire Marshal (SFM) division is partnering with local fire departments and the National Fire Protection Association to remind us all that cooking safety starts with us.

Last year was a particularly tragic year when it comes to fire safety. Minnesota recorded 70 fire deaths in 2022. The deaths of Minnesotans Gary Feldman, 74, and Karen Treise, 80, can both be directly attributed to cooking-related fires. Feldman passed away in an accidental fire after he was scalded from a boiling water spill. Treise​ died in accidental fire after her nasal cannula ignited while cooking. What's more, there were many more accidental residential fires in 2022 that may be cooking-related.

“Cooking is something we all do every day that we don't think twice about," State Fire Marshal Chief Deputy Amanda Swenson said. “It's also the leading cause of fires in the kitchen. Put away distractions and stay in the kitchen while you're using the stove. It could save your life."

Kitchen fires are 100 percent preventable with three simple steps:

• Stay in the kitchen while you're cooking. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• Put away the distractions and pay attention to what you're cooking.
• Keep anything flammable at least three feet from the stove.

You should also make sure you keep a kid-free zone in the kitchen to keep little fingers safe. Our littlest loved ones are curious and love seeing what we're doing, but it isn't safe to have them within three feet of the stove.

It's easy to become complacent about cooking. We do it nearly every day. How many of you have cooked after having a couple of alcoholic beverages? We all know that our ability to make decisions or do things normally becomes impaired with alcohol and drug use. Those actions, however small they may seem, increase your risk of experiencing a deadly fire. That's why we're asking people to think twice before they go to the kitchen to cook.

No one expects a fire in their daily routine, but it could happen at any time. If you do have a small grease fire, remember that putting water on it can have devastating consequences. Human instinct tells you to douse the flames with water or baking soda. Human instinct tells you to remove the pan from the stove and put it in the sink or outside. Both of those decisions can be extremely dangerous — even deadly.

The best way to extinguish a stove fire is to put on an oven mitt, slide a lid or cookie sheet over the flames, and turn off the stove. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

If you have any doubt about fighting a small fire, get out of the house. Close the door behind you and call 911 from outside. Your local fire department will be there to help.

Get more information about fire prevention in multiple languages from the NFPA and our SFM division.