Thanksgiving and the day before are the top two days in this country for the chance of a cooking fire to happen in someone’s home. Cooking causes an average of 158,400 home fires per year, which is 44% of all home fires in the United States. The American Red Cross offers safety steps everyone can follow if they will be preparing their family’s Thanksgiving feast.

Cooking Safety Tips:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

• Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.

• Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.

• Keep kids and pets at least three feet away from cooking areas.

• Keep anything that can catch on fire — potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains — away from your stove top and oven or any other appliance that generates heat.

• Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.

• Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen.

• Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to make sure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.

For more information, visit www.redcross.org.