The Dark Side of Open Fire Cooking

Open fire cooking is the cultural way to cook in rural Guatemala. It is how their mothers cooked and their grandmothers before them. It is done without thinking about other alternatives.  It also provides a nice place to sit and talk.  It is also very dangerous!  Cooking on open fires creates two major hazards.

Burn injuries—

Like this leg burned when the lady’s skirt caught fire.

 Other causes of major burn injuries are:

Face burns from falling into the fires or hair catching fire as the lady blows on the fire to keep it burning.

Eye injuries from a popping fire, usually caused  from blowing into the fire.  Eyes are also often damaged in a hair fire as well.

Hand burns created from a small child falling into the fire.  The houses are small usually 10 by 12 feet with the open fire in the middle of the room.  Children playing or learning to walk in these conditions makes it easy for accidents to happen.

Spilling of boiling water on a child (or on herself) as the mother works in cramped conditions.

Respiratory  problems—According to the World Health Organization, one out of five children in Guatemala does not live to age 5.  They further state that the leading cause of death in this age range is acute respiratory infection (from breathing the heavy smoke from cooking fires). 

From the day they are born, the children are carried on their mothers’ back while they cook over the open fires.

While respiratory infections are not as visual as burn victims, the results are equally devastating and are a silent killer.

Stoves get the fire off the floor preventing skirt fires, kids falling into it, and removes the smoke from the house.  Stoves save lives!

It also is a more convenient way to cook for the ladies, especially for pregnant women who report that cooking standing up is especially appreciated.