If your oven catches fire, immediately turn it off and keep the door shut to starve the flames of oxygen, letting it smother itself; if the fire grows, leave the house, close the door behind you, and call emergency services (like 000 in Australia or 911 in the US). For small grease fires on the stovetop, use a lid or baking soda, but never water, and have an extinguisher ready for ovens.
👉 Turn off the oven to remove the source of fuel and heat. 👉 Wait for the fire to go out. 👉 Open windows to ventilate the smoke. Most of the time this will be all that is needed, however if at any time you feel unsafe do not hesitate to call 911.
The main reason for oven fires is an accumulation of grease and food residue, which can ignite when exposed to high temperatures. Other common causes include: Forgetting about food in the oven. We've all been there—distracted by a phone call or a TV show—only to remember too late.
The correct way, is to kneel to the side of the oven door, use an once or two of water. Very quickly open the oven door slightly and throw in the water, and close oven door. The resulting steam with smother the flames. (If the top oven vent is accessible, dump the water in there.)
The short answer is: No, you should not use your oven right away after a fire. Even if the fire seemed small or was quickly extinguished, there could be hidden damage that poses serious safety risks. Using a damaged oven can lead to electrical hazards, gas leaks, additional fires, or toxic fumes.
Important Safety Tip: Never use water on a grease fire—it can cause the fire to explode and spread. Be prepared for a home fire with an extinguisher or fire blanket to put out small wood, paper, flammable liquids, grease and electrical fires.
Potential Warning Signs and Hazards
Call the fire department immediately if you have any of these warning signs: Arcs, sparks or short circuits; Sizzling or buzzing sound; Odors, vague smell of something burning.
After 4–5 hours, heat buildup, food residue, or malfunctioning parts can increase the likelihood of overheating or fire especially if your oven is set to a high temperature.
Whatever is burning in the oven is the fuel source—opening the door will feed it more oxygen. With the door closed, the fire could go out on its own. If you can do it safely, shut off and unplug the oven.
Do NOT use flour on a grease fire. While sometimes baking soda can extinguish a small grease fire (though not if the fire is too overwhelming), flour cannot and should not be used. Due to chemical risk of contaminating your kitchen, putting out a grease fire with your fire extinguisher should be the last resort.
Stovetop and Oven Safety
According to NFPA, stovetops are among the most dangerous appliances in any household, causing 62 percent of all house fires and 87 percent of household fire deaths. The next most dangerous is ovens, which account for 16 percent of house fires and 4 percent of house fire deaths.
Around 90% of all wildfires are caused by human activities, such as unattended campfires, discarded cigarettes, arson, and equipment use, with natural causes like lightning making up the remaining 10% for wildfires; for structure fires, cooking, heating, electrical issues, smoking, and candles are top culprits. Human carelessness, accidental or intentional, is the overwhelming driver of destructive fires, notes National Geographic and Vesternet.
Ranges and Stoves. With cooking as the most common cause of house fires in the US, ranges and stoves are at the top of the list for fire-starting appliances. These essential appliances can become hazards mainly due to unattended use.
If you can't cover it, smother the fire with a generous amount of baking soda or salt until it's extinguished. If the fire is too big for smother, baking soda, or salt, use a fire extinguisher.
When you have an oven element on fire, the safest way to put the kitchen fire out is with a fire extinguisher. But not just any fire extinguisher: it must be rated B or K for grease fires and C for electrical fires.
The most important thing to remember if a fire breaks out in the oven is to keep the door closed, turn off the oven, and keep an eye on the flame. This will keep the fire contained (remember in high school chemistry class, when we learned that fire needs oxygen to grow?), and it should die down in a few moments.
If You Don't Smell Gas, Relax, and Turn Off the Stove
If you left the stove on and don't smell gas, you may see a flame that has been burning the gas, preventing it from leaking into your home. In that case, turn off the stove. If you aren't 100% certain or are hard of smell, don't turn on your stove.
Prevention Tips
Carbon monoxide can build up quickly and is extremely dangerous at high levels. Higher levels of CO can be fatal in under 5 minutes. Lower levels of CO may take up to 1-2 hours to cause poisoning.
If you've got an electric oven, it's usually not as big a deal. Electric ovens are basically just big resistors, so running them for a long time usually has no risk of functional damage. But there's still a risk if something that can catch fire is left inside or nearby.
Remove the oxygen.
Get the lid that fits the pan and 'slide' it across the top of the pan to smother the flames. Or, use a cookie sheet and 'slide' it over the top of the burning pan. Shut off the burner to stop adding heat. Leave the pan alone, don't move it, and don't remove the lid until it has cooled completely.
It only takes around 30 seconds for a small electrical fire to ravage your property, so it's essential that you understand what to look out for and know how to identify the common signs of an electrical fire so you can act fast and prevent it from spreading.
Fires undergo four main stages: incipient, growth, fully developed, and decay. Each phase has distinct characteristics and dangers.
If there is an electrical fire, pull the plug out, or switch off the power at the fuse box – if it's safe to do so. Sometimes this can stop the fire immediately. Never use water on an electrical fire, and don't take any risks with your safety – get out, stay out and call 999.
As mentioned before, food combustion is responsible for most kitchen fires, and when combined with oil, it creates a recipe for disaster. Preheat your stove or oven to the recommended cooking temperature and don't leave it unattended.