Summary
- Most house fires start in the kitchen.
- Keep looking when you're cooking to prevent a fire starting.
- Turn stove, oven and cooktop off when you finish cooking, leave home or go to sleep.
- Keep things that can easily catch fire away from heat and flames.
- Only cook in the kitchen, never cook in other rooms.
Putting out a kitchen fire
Use a fire blanket or fire extinguisher
Use a fire blanket to put out most stove fires. Use a fire extinguisher to put out other fires in the kitchen.
Only use a fire extinguisher or fire blanket if you feel physically and mentally able to use them safely.
Never use water to put out an oil or grease fire
Adding water to hot oil creates an explosion which will spray hot, burning oil all over the place. This can cause injuries and burns.
Always use a fire blanket, or place a large metal lid over the fire if you can do this without burning yourself.
Call Triple Zero 000
If a fire starts and you don’t feel confident to put it out safely, switch off the power or gas, go outside straight away and call Triple Zero (000).
When you're out of the building, turn off the gas and electricity at the external meter.
Never leave the kitchen when you're cooking. Stay and watch.
How kitchen fires start
1. Leaving cooking and getting distracted
Fires can start when you forget to stay and watch what you're cooking. Leaving the kitchen while cooking, or being distracted by things like phone calls, social media, tv, doorbells, pets or children, is the main cause of kitchen fires.
2. Cooking oil becoming too hot
A cooking oil fire can start if you accidentally leave the heat on for too long.
If the heat is left on, cooking oil can continue to heat up and eventually catches fire. If this happens, never use water to try to put the fire out.
3. Dirty kitchen surfaces
A build up of grease, fat and food around the stove and range hood can help fire spread, as it acts like fuel.
A greasy range hood can cause a fire to move into your roof space.
4. Things catching fire near the stove
Kitchen fires can occur when things like tea towels, paper towels, or curtains are too close to a heat source and catch fire.
5. Electrical faults
Damaged or faulty electrical appliances, such as toasters, microwaves or ovens can cause fires.
Plugging too many things into power sockets or power boards and using damaged cords or appliances can also cause fires.
Learn more about electrical fires.
How to prevent fires starting in your kitchen
- Turn off all heat sources, like the stove, cooktop and oven, before going out or going to sleep.
- Keep kitchen appliances clean and in good working order.
- Store things like tea towels and paper towels away from stoves, ovens and other sources of heat. They catch fire easily.
- Keep stove top, griller, oven, range hood and other cooking surfaces free from built-up grease, dust and oil. Dirty cooking surfaces can spread fire.
- Never leave cooking unattended. Stay and watch what you're cooking, or turn off heat sources if you need to leave the kitchen.
- Have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket in your kitchen (stored close to but away from the cooking area).
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions when heating wheat packs.
Learn how to prevent burns in your kitchen and home.
Don't use gas cookers inside
Gas, wood or solid fuel BBQs and grills, and portable gas cookers should never be used indoors. They produce carbon dioxide, a poisonous gas which can make you very sick in an enclosed space. Even with the door open, cooking with a BBQ or wood grill in your garage is dangerous for your health. You could also start a house fire.
The only BBQ you should use in a garage or indoors is an electric grill, as it doesn't produce poisonous gases.
Explore more information about BBQ fire safety.
Children and home fire safety
Babies, toddlers, and young children are at higher risk of burns, scalds, and fire-related deaths at home.
Learn how you can keep children safe in your home.
Resources
Kitchen fires factsheet
Download CFA kitchen and cooking fire safety factsheet.
Wheat filled heat packs
Learn about how to safety heat your wheat filled heat pack.
Page last updated: Thursday, 27 August 2026 5:38:54 PM