BATON ROUGE - With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start to the summer, firefighters are gearing up for the holiday weekend, and Baton Rouge firefighters are reminding people what to do in an emergency if a grill catches fire.

"It's Memorial Day weekend, a lot of families are going to get together, and one thing they do when they get together is cook. Generally, it's outdoors, but you've got to use some safety precautions to keep your family safe," Curt Monte with BRFD said.

Anytime a fire starts whether on purpose or accident, the BRFD says it’s best to prepare for the worst.

“We're not experiencing the dry conditions that we had in years past, but even without those conditions that cooking can get away from you very quickly. So you want to make sure you keep your eye on it and never step away," Monte said.

Monte says to avoid putting grills under awnings that can easily catch fire, make sure there’s clear space around flames, and keep children and pets away from fires.

"You never leave the grill alone, always have someone, an adult there to keep an eye on it.”

According to the National Fire Protection Agency, data from 2017-2021 shows that nearly half of all emergency room visits with grills happened with a child touched or bumped into one.

"If you're cooking, it's always a good idea to have a fire extinguisher, near your outdoor cooking area, keep it away from children and pets, and make sure you keep your eye on it," Monte said.

The NFPA also says the most active months for grill fires are May through August.