Here's the #1 Day for Dangerous Home Fires in Massachusetts

Thanksgiving is upon us, and in Massachusetts, many families will be preparing a delicious turkey meal to share with loved ones. While Thanksgiving can be an exciting time, it's also a time to pay extra attention in the kitchen.

Get our free mobile app

Thanksgiving is a Big Fire Day in Massachusetts

It's no surprise that Thanksgiving Day is the #1 day for home fires in Massachusetts. Not only are you cooking, but there's extra grease, there are more people in your home than normal who could accidentally bump into something that can catch fire, and the stove is hard at work for a big chunk of the day.

Safety Tips for Cooking in the Kitchen on Thanksgiving Day

Before and on Thanksgiving Day, take some time to make sure you have fire safety procedures in place. Mass.gov suggests some of the following tips for safe cooking, especially on November 27.

Clean up grease spills
Keep groceries, food packaging, towels, and other flammable materials away from the stovetop
Keep pot handles turned inward to prevent spills
Create a three-foot child-free zone around the stove
Don’t put metal in a microwave: utensils, aluminum foil or twist-tie wraps can cause a fire
Only use the oven for cooking, not for heating or storage
Remain in the kitchen when boiling, broiling, or frying food
Set a timer when baking or roasting so you don't lose track of time
Loose sleeves can ignite if they get too close to burners or heating elements: wear clothing with short or tight-fitting sleeves
If you're drowsy or impaired, order takeout: falling asleep with food on the stove can cause a serious fire, injury, or worse

While my wife and I are pretty good at practicing these kitchen fire safety tips, one new thing that has started occurring around our kitchen is that our five-year-old daughter has started standing in front of the stove more often, as she is fascinated by checking the time on both the stove and microwave units. She loves numbers.

The Three-Foot Child-Free Zone Will Be a Big One for My Household This Year

This year, that three-foot child-free zone around the stove is going to come into play. Luckily, we haven't put away our gates from when our daughter was little, so we are going to keep her out of the kitchen (except for dinner) on Thanksgiving Day. It will keep her and her curious personality safe, and it will be a big stress reducer for us. You can find additional safe cooking and fire safety tips by going here.

If You Grew Up in the '70s and '80s, These Foods Were Super Fancy

From Babybels to Toblerone chocolate, take a nostalgic bite out of these 'fancy' childhood foods that made us feel way more elegant than we really were.

Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz