MasterChef and other cooking shows blamed for rise in kitchen fires Celebrity chef Ian Curley says the popularity of cooking shows is partly to blame for a rise in kitchen fires. A REVIVED interest in food through cooking shows, avoiding expensive meals out and family distractions are behind a rise in kitchen fires, believes chef Ian Curley. New statistics reveal that there is an increase in the number of house fires which start in the kitchen, which account for a third of all residential blazes. Alarmingly the latest statistics from Victoria's CFA show a rise of 6 per cent in kitchen fires in June alone. Unattended cooking was responsible for 20 per cent of those blazes, faulty electrical appliances accounted for 11 per cent and 8 per cent were attributed to faulty electrical distribution, including overloaded power outlets. A lot of these TV shows people think, 'I can do that', and then off they go. You can blame MasterChef for a lot of things, and that's one of them," said head chef and owner of The European. Curley, the former host of Conviction Kitchen and a MasterChef guest chef, vividly recalls the lick of flame and curls of smoke from his first kitchen fire three decades ago. I was an apprentice. You had chip pans, basically a pot with oil in it. They were forever igniting when they got to a certain point, they'd smoke up and off they would go," he said. Then you'd get people who would throw water on it and the worst thing you can do is throw water on an oil fire. It's just shocking. If you get one of those, your don't forget that kind of kitchen fire quickly. You see people with severe burns and it's pretty scary, you don't forget that. Curley counts among his kitchen equipment fire blankets, a smoke alarm and fire extinguisher. "There's nothing wrong with having a little fire extinguisher, you get them from pretty much anywhere now," he said. You see all those beautiful brand-new kitchens to cook in and if you lose all of that, it will cost you a whole lot more to clean up. The damage from a fire that ripped through a kitchen. Victoria's MFB Chief Officer Shane Wright urged people to be particularly vigilant at this time of year. Many people only associate fire dangers with the hotter months. Last winter alone fires (in Victoria) accounted for an estimated $97 million in damage," he said. Fire agencies are also reminding people to consider the fire safety of family, friends, neighbours and older people living alone. Both Victoria's MFB and CFA have ramped up their efforts to educate people on how to prevent a potentially devastating fire in their home in response to the increased number of residential fires during winter that contributed to 12 fatalities from home fires in 2012. MFB Commander John Rampling said simple steps could avoid tragedy. "Just a few simple actions can help prevent fire in your home - such as always keeping an eye on the cooking and keeping at least one metre clear space around heaters and open fires," he said. For more information, or to download a home fire safety checklist, visit www.homefiresafety.com.au Home fire safety tips to help safeguard the home from fire Never leave cooking, heaters, open fires or candles unattended Don't overload power boards Keep electrical appliances in good working order Ensure cigarette ash and butts are extinguished. Never smoke in bed Do not dry clothing less than one metre from heaters Clean lint filters on clothes dryers after every use and always let dryers complete the cool-down cycle Store all matches and lighters out of reach of children Clean and test your alarms regularly and make sure they are working. By law every home must have at least one working smoke alarm installed on each level of the house Install a fire extinguisher and fire blanket and know how to use them Have a home fire escape plan and practise it regularly Never deadlock yourself inside the house. If you do, keep keys in the lock when you are at home