Now that school is out and the summer camping season is underway, lots of people will be using their choice of grills outdoors. With that mind, it’s a good time to review some grilling safety tips.

Jefferson Fire Chief Jack Williams says when using propane grills, there are a few things to be mindful of.

“Just make sure that the lid is open (and) don’t turn the propane on with the lid closed. If it doesn’t light right away shut the gas off and let it air out for a little bit.”

As for charcoal or smoker-type grills, Williams recommends waiting for the burkets to cool down all the way before disposing them into a garbage can to prevent any fires from happening. If a fire breaks out in your propane grill, Williams says not to panic.

“If you have a fire in your grill just put the lid on it, close all of the vents, and the shut propane off. And it should go out eventually. Don’t use water to put it out. If anything use baking soda or a fire extinguisher.”

Finally, Williams says you can also use a squirt bottle of water to check and clean all of the hookups on a propane grill to see if there are any leaks or caked on grime that could start a fire.