A fire safety presentation and rescue and firefighting demonstrations will be held in Wailuku and Lahaina as part of Fire Prevention Week.

The demonstrations will be Friday at the Horseshoe Pit Field at Keopuolani Park and Oct. 24 at the Lahaina Recreation Field behind the Lahaina Aquatics Center.

Both demonstrations will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Firefighters will demonstrate rappeling, cutting up cars with the “Jaws of Life” tool and putting out fires with a live fire demonstration. The Fire Department’s Air One helicopter, Sparky Dog and Smokey Bear will make appearances.

As part of a fire safety campaign tied to Fire Prevention Week, fire officials and safety advocates are reminding residents about the dangers of kitchen fires, which usually occur when cooking food is left unattended.

“Kitchen fires are still the number-one reason for residential fires nationwide,” said Fire Chief Jeff Murray. “The impacts to families and homes are devastating, displacing them for long periods of time and destroying their memories. Injuries and even death are a result of these fires.”

According to the National Fire Protection Association, two of every five home fires begin in the kitchen. Cooking fires also are the leading cause of home fire-related injuries.

To prevent kitchen fires, officials recommend that residents:

* Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling, broiling or boiling food.

* Turn off the stove if you must leave the kitchen, even for a short period.

* Check cooking food regularly and use a timer.

* Use the stove’s back burners when possible if you have young children. Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the stove.

* Wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves while cooking.

* Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, towels and anything else that can burn away from the stovetop.

* Clean food and grease from burners and stovetops.