Cooking brings family and friends together, provides an outlet for creativity and can be relaxing. Cooking fires are also the number one cause of home fires and home injuries.

By following a few safety tips, you can prevent these fires.

• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food . If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.

Get more holiday cooking tips on the National Fire Protection Association website.