Holiday season alert: Georgia leads the list in cooking fires

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Georgia topped the list in 2022 of claims filed for cooking fires, according to State Farm – something to keep in mind while cooking meals and treats during the holiday season.

In 2022, State Farm paid over $196 million for 2,210 grease/cooking fire claims. November and December were the top months for grease/cooking fire claims. This is an increase in claims compared to 2021, where State Farm paid over $163 million for 2,240 grease/cooking fire claims. The average claim in 2022 was $71,000.

The National Fire Protection Association says more home cooking fires occur in the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day than any other day during the year.

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According to the U.S. Fire Administration, here are 10 ways to stay safe:

Stand by your pan. If you leave your kitchen, turn the burner off
Keep an eye on what you fry. Most cooking fires start when frying food.
Roll up your sleeves. This reduces the chance that they’ll catch fire.
Supervise children and pets. Make sure they stay away from the stove.
Watch what you’re cooking! If you see any smoke, or grease starts to boil, turn the burner off.
If there’s an oven fire, keep the door closed. Turn off the oven and keep the door closed until it’s cool.
Move things that can burn away from the stove. This includes dishtowels, bags, boxes, paper and curtains.
Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. This is so no one can bump them or pull them over.
Only use a turkey fryer outdoors. Make sure that it the fryer is on a sturdy surface, away from things that can burn.
Check smoke alarms. Make sure to have working smoke alarms close to where anyone may be sleeping.

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