Regardless of what you celebrate...remember that home cooking fires peak on major U.S. holidays that traditionally involve cooking. During gatherings, it’s easy to be distracted by the holiday hubbub. Here are a few tips to keep your family celebration from going up in flames.

Don’t let too many cooks spoil your holiday. Avoid overcrowding the kitchen and doing too many things at once. Keep children out of the kitchen if possible, and make sure to watch them closely when they are present.

Be alert when cooking. If you’re sleepy or have consumed alcohol, avoid using the stove and oven. Set timers and don’t leave anything unattended.

Keep flammable items — such as oven mitts, kitchen towels, wooden utensils, food wrappers and curtains — away from your cooking area.
Be careful when frying anything. In the event of a small grease fire, smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Remove lid once completely cooled. Small oven fires can be put out by turning off the heat the keeping the door closed. Sometimes it is possible for you to put out small fires on your own. If you have any doubts about doing so, evacuate immediately — closing the door behind you to contain the flames — and call 911.