This Is The Most Common Way Grease Fires Start In The Kitchen
As someone who’s stood in front of a grease fire in my apartment kitchen, I can confirm it’s not a situation you want to encounter. Even though it happened years ago, I still get nervous any time I use a skillet, especially when oil is involved in the recipe.
House fires — and particularly cooking fires — happen more often than you might realize. According to data from the National Fire Protection Association, cooking was the leading cause of reported home fires and injuries between 2017 and 2021, causing about 44% of all reported home fires in the nation.
As much as we’d all like to think this disaster will never happen to us, it can. Fire safety education is vital for us all.
Ahead, chefs share the scenario in which grease fires most often start, how to put them out, and “hacks” you may have heard that can actually exacerbate the situation.
At what temperature do grease fires start?
First, it’s important to know the temperature ranges you should stay below when cooking with oil. The answer isn’t so simple, however, as there’s not necessarily one temperature that’s bad news for all oils.
“Every oil is a bit different, and each oil has a smoke point and a flash point,” explained Shawn Matijevich, lead chef-instructor of Online Culinary Arts and Food Operations at the Institute of Culinary Education. (Flash point is when the oil or grease will combust into flames, and smoke point is when it starts to smoke.)
“The flash point is typically about 50 degrees higher than the smoke point, so going from smoking to being on fire does happen pretty quickly,” he added.
Flames aren’t the first warning sign, either — smoke is. So, Jessica Randhawa, a food blogger who has experienced a grease fire in her own home, urged people to look out for smoke, not just flames. “The oil first begins to smoke before catching fire,” she said. Better to catch the problem before it gets worse, you know?
Besides watching for those signs, knowing the smoke point of the oil you’re using is vital.
The specific “points” depend on the type of oil. The smoke point for canola oil, for example, is 435 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas the smoke point for corn, olive, sesame seed and sunflower oil is 410 degrees. For smoke points of other oils, check out the helpful chart provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The good news is you probably won’t have any reason to crank the heat up much higher than that. “There is no need to deep fry above 350 degrees Fahrenheit to 375 degrees Fahrenheit,” said Randy Feltis, a Canadian restaurateur and professional chef.
The most common cause of a grease fire.
According to the American Red Cross, the top reason for cooking-related home fires is not paying close attention to the stove when something’s cooking.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) explains what can happen: The oil can get too hot, reaching its flash point and igniting a fire that spreads throughout the home. Many types of cooking — like frying, boiling and simmering — need constant attention. They may require constant stirring, or turning the temperature down if the oil begins to smoke. Left unattended and unaddressed, the food can catch on fire.
Paying attention to what you’re cooking sounds easy enough, but it’s important to note that many distractions and other factors can easily get in the way.
One instance: You’re under the influence. “This normally happens to people after the bar,” Feltis said.
He also warned against using your phone while cooking aka being distracted and not attending to the oil or food in the pan — saying flames may erupt only four to five minutes after ignoring it.
Another possible scenario: You’re frying something. “Deep frying involves submerging food in hot oil, which can easily overheat if not carefully watched,” Randhawa said. “Leaving the kitchen unattended while frying, using too much oil or frying at excessively high temperatures can increase the risk of a grease fire.”
And get this: Even paying attention to the pan doesn’t mean you’re 100% in the clear. “[Fires] can also happen when you overload your vessel with oil, and hot grease splashes onto an open flame or exposed heating element,” Matijevich said.
He urged choosing a pan that is at least twice the volume of the oil — or cooking in batches, if needed — and continuing to watch the temperature.
To take the temperature of the oil, Randhawa and Matijevich encouraged using a thermometer. (Talk about a kitchen product that pays for itself.) There are many types of kitchen thermometers; the one you’ll most likely need here is a “candy/jelly/deep fry thermometer,”according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Just be aware they can only measure up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to put out a grease fire safely.
Grease fires can and do happen. If you experience one, stay calm and act quickly. Then, heed the following do’s and don’ts these chefs shared.
Throw a metal lid, towel or baking sheet on it.
This smothers the fire by cutting off its oxygen supply.
It’s important to note that this option is only smart for small fires, according to Randhawa. (We’ll get to big fires in a bit.)
Additionally, it’s crucial to keep the lid, towel or baking sheet on top of the fire, even once the fire is seemingly gone.
“[The fire] will reflash if it is exposed to oxygen and still too hot,” Matijevich said. “As long as the fire is contained in the cooking vessel, this is the best way to deal with a small grease fire.”
Don’t throw water on it.
As counterintuitive as it may seem, water will not help with a grease fire.
“It can cause the oil to splash and spread the fire further,” Randhawa explained. This can lead to severe burns.
Don’t throw a wet towel on it.
Water in any form is a no-go for fires, even if you don’t have a metal lid, dry towel or baking sheet to use instead.
Matijevich explained that a wet towel on a grease fire can cause steam explosions and spread flames.
Don’t throw flour, sugar or baking powder on it.
This is another “hack” that’s actually unsafe. These ingredients can exacerbate the fire, Matijevich said.
Throw baking soda or salt on it.
While baking powder is combustible, baking soda is safe to throw on a small (keyword: small) grease fire.
“Use this method when grease has splashed out of the cooking pot and onto the stove,” Matijevich advised.
The way I remember to use baking soda instead of baking powder: Soda is a yes because it’s tasty (even though we’re not talking about that kind of soda here) and “powder” sounds like “gunpowder” … which is flammable.
Don’t pick up the pan or skillet.
You may be tempted to pull the pan or skillet off the stove and throw it into the sink. However, that can be dangerous, too, according to Feltis and Randhawa, by causing the fire to spread.
Turn off the heat source immediately.
This one is along the lines of picking up the pan or skillet, but it’s much safer and recommended by Randhawa. Matijevich agreed, saying it could stop the fire from getting worse.
Use a fire extinguisher.
With bigger fires — or any fires, really — a fire extinguisher is probably your best bet. If you don’t have one in easy reach right now, put that on your to-do list.
More specifically, Randhawa recommended a Class B dry chemical fire extinguisher, especially if throwing a pan on the fire doesn’t work or isn’t an option.
A multipurpose fire extinguisher will also do the trick. Mostly, Matijevich warns about water-based extinguishers — yes, they exist — which can make the fire worse. So again, not every fire extinguisher will help.
Evacuate the area and alert your local fire department.
If the fire continues to grow and/or you can’t control it, evacuate the home immediately and call 911 and/or pull the fire alarm.
As with any fire, remember that safety is the paramount concern. Dinner can wait.
