Lots of delicious cooking happens during the holiday season, but did you know that cooking is the main cause of home fires and fire injuries? The U.S. Fire Administration offers these steps to keep you and your family safe:

• Keep an eye on what you fry. Most cooking fires start when someone is frying food.
• Watch what you are cooking. Fires start when the heat is too high. If you see any smoke or the grease starts to boil, turn the burner off.
• Make sure you are awake and alert. Alcohol and some drugs can make you sleepy.
• Wear short sleeves or roll them up so they don’t catch on fire.
• Make sure children and pets stay at least 3 feet away from a hot stove.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so no one can bump them or pull them over.
• Move things that can burn away from the stove. This includes dishtowels, bags, boxes, paper and curtains.
• Clean cooking equipment after each use. Crumbs in a toaster or grease on the stove can catch fire.
• If you have a fire in your oven, turn it off. Let the contents cool before cleaning.
• If you have a fire in your oven and the flames escape it, leave your home and call 911.

For more information from the U.S. Fire Administration go to https://www.usfa.fema.gov/.