CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Today is all about giving thanks, of course. However, it's also about getting that turkey cooked for your family.
As millions of Americans spend time in the kitchen, fire departments will be busier than ever. We wanted to know if Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking fires in the U.S.
Getting a turkey just right can take some time. A lot of ovens and stoves will be on throughout the day in Charlotte.
THE QUESTION:
Does Thanksgiving have more cooking fires than other holidays in the U.S.?
OUR SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
Yes, Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking fires in the U.S.
WHAT WE FOUND:
Early this month, the NFPA released a warning saying Thanksgiving Day has historically been the peak day for cooking fires that are reported in the U.S.
From 2017-2019, on average, 2,300 residential building fires were reported to fire departments in the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day.
The fires caused an estimated annual average of five deaths, 25 injuries, and $26 million in property loss. NFPA said Thanksgiving Day had more than three times as many fires as any other day of the year.
FEMA'S data shows that over 54% of Thanksgiving Day fires occurred between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Between 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. is the peak time on Thanksgiving when the fire alarm goes off. Three-quarters of those fires were cooking-related fires.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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