Fire danger increases on Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is a big day for football, family, feasting, and fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking fires spike on holidays and Thanksgiving is number one by a long shot.

Officials say cooks can be easily distracted by guests while preparing the meal.

“Unattended cooking is the top cause of fires in the home,” said Elliot F. Kaye, chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

On Wednesday, the Central Fire Protection District in Santa Cruz published these tips for a fire safe holiday:

Never leave food cooking unattended Do not wear loose clothing while cooking Turn handles from pots and pans in and away from the edge of the stove when cooking Make sure that your smoke and CO alarms are working properly Have a fire extinguisher available and know how to use it Never leave candles burning unattended If smoking is allowed in your home, provide ashtrays for your guests Check furniture, trash cans and ashtrays for smoldering cigarette butts before going to bed Overnight guests should be included in your home fire safety plan Clean your stove and oven after cooking large holiday meals If you have a cooking fire, turn off the stove, cover the pan with the appropriate sized lid and call 911

More fire safety tips can be obtained from Central Fire Protection District or your local fire department.