Thanksgiving Fire Statistics

Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires with more than three times the daily average for such incidents. Christmas Day and Christmas Eve ranked second and third, with both having nearly twice the daily average. 

Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths. Cooking causes half (52%) of all reported home fires and nearly two of every five (36%) home fire injuries, and it is a leading cause of home fire deaths (17%). On Thanksgiving day alone, an estimated 1,610 home cooking fires were reported to U.S fire departments in 2022, reflecting a 399 percent increase over the daily average.

Top Safety Tips

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stove top so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently.
• Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay three feet away.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
• Keep knives out of the reach of children.
• Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.
• Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
• Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.

Candles which are another popular element in holiday decorations can also be a fire hazard. NFPA reports that during 2012-2016, U.S. fire departments responded each year to around 8,200 home fires started by candles. Annually, the fires caused an average of 80 deaths, 770 injuries, and $264 million in direct property damage. In addition to keeping candles away from decorations and other flammable materials—and never leaving them unattended—NFPA has a list of other Winter Holiday Safety tips.