With Thanksgiving less than a week away, the Ohio State Fire Marshal is urging families to prioritize fire safety to keep families in the Mahoning Valley and beyond safe this holiday season.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires with more than three times the daily average for those types of incidents.

Christmas Day and Christmas Eve rank second and third respectively.

That's why the Ohio State Fire Marshal has offered the following tips to prevent home cooking fires this holiday season.

- Never leave cooking food unattended. Always stay in the general location of where the food is being cooked.

- Use timers to remind yourself of food in the oven or on the stove.

- Keep children and pets at least three feet away from indoor and outdoor cooking areas when playing.

- Consider involving your children with the cooking process while teaching them how to do it safely.

- Keep flammable material such as paper towels and napkins away from heat sources like stoves, fryers and grills.

- Only utilize turkey fryers outdoors and away from structures. Do not use turkey fryers in garages.

- Be sure to use the appropriate amount of oil in your turkey fryer to avoid overflows, which can cause dangerous and intense fires.

- Have a fire extinguisher ready and make sure you know how to use it if needed. 

- If the fire becomes unmanageable, evacuate and call 911 immediately.

Additionally, the State Fire Marshal urges families to have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in their home and be sure to check the batteries in those detectors to make sure they're functioning properly.

According to the NFPA, having a working smoke or carbon monoxide detector in your home reduces your risk of dying in a fire by 60%.