As many Iowans may be hosting smaller Thanksgiving gatherings this year, it could also mean an increase of lesser-experienced cooks in charge of making sure the dinner doesn’t go up in smoke.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, with unattended cooking being the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and deaths. Stuart Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Martinson gives this advice for having a hazard-free holiday, “Well, first and foremost, if you’re planning on frying a turkey this year I’d say please make sure to do some homework on the proper way to do so. Fryer oil is very aggressive and spreads very quickly which could result in us joining you for your Thanksgiving dinner.”

Martinson also advises to keep flammable objects away from the stovetop, like oven mitts, food packaging, and wooden utensils. He also recommends to stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop, and to stay in the home when cooking a turkey, to check on it frequently.