Can Baking Paper Catch Fire in the Oven?

2/10/2022 (Permalink)

Our Dallas Fire Damage Restoration services will remove the smoky odor, clean up, and reconstruct your kitchen after a fire.

Using ovens can be risky if you are new to them or have an older unit that hasn't been used in a while. 

Sometimes, food scraps get left inside while the oven is on, the food might overheat, or a pan of grease or fat overflows. These are all common causes of oven fires. Therefore, it's vital to be aware of the most important cooking fire and burn safety guidelines. 

Something as innocuous as baking paper could also be a risk factor for an oven fire. Let's find out how it can happen and what you can do to prevent it. 

Can Baking Paper Catch Fire in the Oven?

Like any other material, parchment paper can catch fire if used incorrectly.

There are inevitable mistakes that could cause the parchment paper to ignite. For example, instead of setting the oven on bake, you set it to broil or accidentally hit the self-cleaning option. These mishaps can quickly cause an oven fire. 

Remember never to open the oven door if a fire does break out in there!

On the other hand, if you use wax paper instead of parchment or baking paper, you must keep in mind that it is not as heat-resistant as baking paper. So if you leave wax paper exposed to heat for too long, it will most certainly melt. Moreover, this paper can easily be set on fire because of high temperatures. 

However, oven-safe parchment paper usually doesn't catch fire, but it may darken a bit due to heat in the oven.

Our Top Fire Prevention Tips for the Kitchen

Ideal Temperatures for Using Parchment Paper 

You can bake anything on it between 420°F to 450°F. If you need to go beyond that, you will need to replace parchment paper with a safe foil for use at a higher temperature. 

Use Oven-Safe Parchment Paper

While you're buying parchment paper, ensure that it is oven-safe. You can use this paper for baking and cooking without worrying about it catching fire. It contains silicone which makes it moist, oil-resistant, and heat resistant. 

Don't Grease the Parchment Paper

Don't put extra oil on the parchment paper as it can cause the start of a fire. Regardless of what you're baking on the parchment paper, whether cookies or cake, they will quickly come off the paper by simply picking them up with a spatula.  

What to Do if Parchment Paper Catches Fire in the Oven

If your parchment paper catches fire in the oven, follow these steps to extinguish it quickly and safely:

1. Do not open the oven door if you see it on fire
2. Just turn off the oven and wait for the fire to burn out on its own
3. If the fire doesn't extinguish and keeps growing, exit the house and dial 911
4. If it does extinguish, simply open your windows to let out the smoke
5. Cover your nose and cautiously open the oven door
6. Remove the hot pan

Call SERVPRO to Restore Your Home After a Fire

SERVPRO provides fast and reliable disaster recovery services. Our Dallas Fire Damage Restoration services will remove the smoky odor, clean up, and reconstruct your kitchen after a fire. 

Call us at SERVPRO of North Irving at (972) 986-7677, and our technicians will be on their way asap!