Many fires involving parchment paper start not because someone was reckless, but because they just didn’t know any better. Here are some of the most common ways this everyday item gets misused:
1. Using Parchment in Broil Mode
Broiling might be great for crisping the top of a casserole or searing a steak — but it involves extremely high, direct heat that can soar above 500°F. That’s well past parchment’s safety threshold.
Using parchment paper in the broiler is a quick way to turn a cooking session into a fire emergency.
2. Letting the Paper Hang Over the Pan
It might seem harmless to have a little extra parchment sticking out the sides of your baking tray. But those loose, curling edges are often the first part to burn.
In a hot oven, they can touch the heating element or walls and ignite. Always trim the paper to fit snugly inside your pan.
3. Using Parchment in Toaster Ovens or Air Fryers
Small appliances like toaster ovens and air fryers concentrate heat in tight spaces. That means the heating elements are often just inches away from your parchment paper.
Without enough food or weight to keep it flat, the paper can float, curl, and quickly make contact with those hot coils — sparking smoke or fire.
4. Mixing Up Wax Paper and Parchment Paper
This one’s easy to do if your kitchen drawer is cluttered. But it’s also extremely dangerous.
Wax paper may look like parchment, but it’s coated with wax — not silicone. That wax melts at low heat and can catch fire well before 400°F. Wax paper is only meant for cold uses like wrapping cheese or separating frozen items — never for the oven.
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