Why does grease burn

Put a lid on the pot or frying pan to cut off oxygen to the fire. If the fire is out of control, the most important thing to do is to call and get everyone outside. Do NOT pour water on a grease fire. Water can cause the grease to splash onto yourself or kitchen surfaces and spread the flames. Do NOT fan the fire with a dry or wet cloth. Can a dirty oven cause a fire? In fact, over time, as you cook beef, pork, chicken, melt butter, etc. If you have a gas oven this grease will melt when you start cooking and could then smoke and catch fire easily due to the naked flames inside.

It might also be possible for the grease to reach its autoignition temperature in an electric oven, that is, it will catch fire without any flame present, though this is likely to be a more rare occurrence. Grease fires in the kitchen typically ignite at around degrees Fahrenheit. Industrial lubricants may burn over a much wider range of temperatures. So, when you spray water on a grease fire, it emulsifies the grease turns it into little droplets which spray everywhere and as these grease droplets are burning, the fire spreads with them.

It will burn much more easily as tiny droplets than as a puddle of grease. Not only does flour not extinguish a grease fire but the fine dust particles in flour are both flammable and an explosion hazard.

Under no circumstance should you put fire on a grease fire or any other kind of fire, you will be risking your life and potentially the lives of everyone around you too.

Ordinary sugar will melt and caramelize in a grease fire which presents a real risk of burns. Worse, if the sugar is powdered, just like the flour in our last example, it is both flammable and an explosion hazard. Also read: Is Sugar Flammable or Explosive?

Powdered Sugar. To extinguish a grease fire you should first make sure that any heat source gas or electric has been switched off. If the fire is small, you can smother it with a fire blanket and if you need to use an extinguisher on it, you should always use a type K fire extinguisher. Here is the Class K extinguisher I recommend for your kitchen. You could splash burning oil on yourself — or spread the fire. NEVER use water. Using water on a grease fire will spread the fire! Water will sink, superheat, and splatter, spreading the fire.

NEVER pour baking products on the fire. Flour and sugar make grease fires worse! Only baking soda and salt will work. NEVER attempt to smother the fire with flammable materials. An apron, dishtowel, or other flammable fabrics will NOT smother the fire, but may fan or spread it. The very best grease fire safety is prevention… Stay in the kitchen whenever you cook with oil or grease — or cook items that release large amounts of oil or grease during heating hamburger and bacon are prime examples.

Use a heavy pot with a lid when cooking with grease. A clip thermometer to monitor temperature is also a wise addition. Keep the handle of pans turned inward to avoid accidental tips. Allow enough space in the pan to prevent grease overflow. If you notice smoke when cooking with grease, turn off the heat immediately. Pay attention to heat ratings for oil.