ROB: Don’t try to score polital points in a discussion of Halacha. I think in the thread on chalav stam I proved that I am not looking for the “chumra of the day” but the bottom line Halacha. Actually in my community I am known as being quite a meikal. If I would tell you my name you could see litteraly hundreds of teshuvos I have written, and by no means to I tend to be machmir.
However in this case their is ABSOLUTELY NO opinion in Halacha that allows one to lower a flame that is not for ochel nefesh. I have no problem with someone relying on Reb Moshe to lower a flame to simmer so that food will not burn, but turning off the burner is forbidden according to ALL OPINIONS. I think what oomis’s Rav and grandparents meant was to allow reducing the flame to prevent scorching the food, and this would be allowed on any oven, even w/o a pilot according to Reb Moshe.
Also, there is no heter of “mitoch” on extinguishin or lowering a flame and it may only be done for direct ochel nefesh, unlike transferring a flame.