MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - It's that time of the year again as many residents prepare holiday meals in their kitchens.

While cooking can be a very enjoyable activity during the holidays, it is also a very busy time, and it is important to understand how you can stay safe in the kitchen.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking is the leading cause of home fires year-round, accounting for almost half of all US home fires (49 percent) and reported home fire injuries (45 percent).

HOMTV's Brandie Yates spoke with Meridian Township Fire Inspector Tavis Millerov about some holiday cooking safety tips.

"The biggest thing to know is that when you do have items cooking, baking in the oven, make sure it is clean, and that's the biggest problem we find is that someone inadvertently spills something in the oven, something ends up boiling over and if it does not get cleaned up right away, then the next time they use it, we have this great big flaming mess that's going on in there."

Millerov explained how and where to hang your cooking towels and be mindful of grease by not mixing it with water.

Turkey fryers are also very popular to use on Thanksgiving, and it's important to stay safe when using them.

Millerov reminded everyone that "The key to turkey frying and keeping that safe is making sure the bird is thawed, that the pot is not too full of oil and not too hot. You actually want to pat the outside of the bird down with a paper towel to get the excess moisture of off it."

With people using excess appliances around the kitchen, Millerov encourages everyone to be mindful about placing combustible items like paper towels away from heating sources, and to reduce any chaos in the kitchen as much as possible.