One in every 22 homes will have a cooking fire this year—will your home be the one?

Cooking causes about 156,000 fires in the U.S. each year, and is responsible for nearly $1 billion in property damage as well as 5,310 injuries and 420 deaths.

You can you help prevent a cooking fire in your home by following some simple tips:

• Don’t leave the stove unattended—it’s the leading cause of kitchen fires. If you must leave the kitchen, turn off the stove first.
• Check food regularly, and use a timer to remind you when food should be done.
• Keep your stovetop, burners, and oven clean so residue and food doesn’t catch fire.
• Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stovetop, including potholders and oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels, and curtains.
• Don’t allow pets on the counter or near cooking surfaces where they can accidentally knock things onto a burner.
• Wear short sleeves, rolled sleeves, or close-fitting sleeves when cooking—loose clothing can catch on fire if it comes into contact with a gas flame or electric burner.
• Keep an oven mitt and lid nearby to smother flames from a grease fire that may start in a pan—while wearing the mitt, carefully slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner, then leave the pan in place with the lid on until it’s completely cool.

If you do have a cooking fire, call 9-1-1 immediately. If you choose to try to fight it, make sure others are already evacuating the house, and that you have a clear path to exit. The best advice is: When in doubt, just get out.

Contact your Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance agent to learn more about protecting your home and property in a fire.