Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and so is the holiday feast that goes with it. Due to cooking fires being the number one cause of home fires, the American Red Cross has some steps everyone can follow to have a safe holiday.

• Keep your cooking area clean.
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heat.
• Stay in the kitchen when you’re cooking. The leading factor for kitchen fires is unattended cooking. If you can’t be in the room, set a timer to help you monitor food with longer cook times.
• When all the cooking is done, double check to make sure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.

Red Cross also suggests making sure you are cleaning surfaces regularly to prevent grease buildup, and consider having a fire extinguisher for the kitchen just in case.