As families prepare to gather for Thanksgiving Day feasts this Thursday, November 22, the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) reminds Tennesseans the recipe for holiday fire safety always includes add good cooking safety habits. Thanksgiving is the No. 1 day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment, with three times the average number of fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. An estimated 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings are reported to U.S. fire departments each year according to the U.S. Fire Administration. In Tennessee, 26 percent of reported home structure fires in 2017 involved cooking equipment. Those 1,672 fires resulted in 12 civilian fatalities, 43 civilian injuries, two firefighter injuries and over $6 million of direct property damage, according to the Tennessee Fire Incident Reporting System. The SMFO says stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling. If you have to leave the room, even for a moment, turn off the burner. For more information on making your home fire-safe, download and print the State Fire Marshal’s home fire safety checklist.