The heat is on for kitchen safety

When was the last time you cleaned the vents above your stove at home? A third of the 3800 home fires in Victoria each year occur in the kitchen, according to the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB), and while we tend to associate fires with the hotter months of the year, winter is a notoriously dangerous time for home fires. The MFB and the Country Fire Authority (CFA) have teamed with chefs to highlight the issue.

Chef Ian Curley (pictured) has witnessed kitchen fires: ''I once saw an exhaust system catch fire due to it not being cleaned properly and regularly. I have also seen a frying pan catch fire and cause extensive damage to the kitchen.'' Curley has become an ambassador for the MFB and CFA, with Guy Grossi and Tobie Puttock, to create home-safety awareness.

For more information, or to download the safety checklist, go to homefiresafety.com.au