The American Red Cross reported that as Thanksgiving approaches, it is a time to prepare the holiday feast and brush up on home fire safety. Plus, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect communities, planning celebrations may be a little different this year.

“This is the time of year when families and friends gather to celebrate the holidays and prepare home cooked meals,” Jill Palmer, executive director for the Florida Gulf Coast to Heartland chapter, said. “Unfortunately, cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires. Each year, the Red Cross continues to see a surge in home fire responses around the holidays. The Red Cross encourages the community to keep these safety tips in mind while celebrating the holidays with your family and friends.”

The Red Cross offered the followings holiday safety tips:

• Keep an eye on what you fry. Never leave cooking food unattended. If you must leave the kitchen, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.

• Move items that can burn away from the stove. This includes dishtowels, bags, boxes, paper and curtains. Also keep children and pets at least three feet away.

• Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.

• When frying food, turn the burner off if you see smoke or if the grease starts to boil. Carefully remove the pan from the burner.

• Keep a pan lid or a cookie sheet nearby. Use it to cover the pan if it catches on fire. This will put out the fire. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.

• Turn pot handles to the back of the stove, so no one bumps them or pulls them over.

• Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on. Check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to ensure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.

• Celebrating with the people you live with is the safest choice. If you do celebrate with people who do not live with you, gatherings and activities held outdoors are safer than indoor gatherings.

• Do not attend or host a holiday gathering if you are sick or have symptoms of COVID.

• If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow CDC’s Domestic Travel or International Travel recommendations for unvaccinated people. Everyone, even people who are fully vaccinated, will still be required to wear a mask on public transportation.

People can also help keep their family safe by testing their smoke alarms monthly and practicing their home fire escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes — the amount of time one may have to get out of a burning home before it is too late.

For more information, including a family escape plan to practice, visit redcross.org/fire.

Download the free Emergency and First Aid apps for instant access on how to control bleeding, help someone who is choking and other scenarios. Search “American Red Cross” in app stores.