PHOTOS: Chesterfield Fire and EMS provides tips to help prevent cooking fires during Thanksgiving holiday

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- With Thanksgiving a week away, Chesterfield County Fire and EMS has provided tips to help residents prevent fires as they begin to cook their holiday meals. According to Chesterfield Fire and EMS, the number one cause of fires in Chesterfield is cooking. As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, the agency wants to remind residents that they should never leave food cooking on the stove unattended. The agency shared photos from two separate fires where food was left cooking and the person left the room. In the photos, kitchen cabinets, roofs and walls can be seen completely charred and destroyed due to a cooking fire. In addition to never leaving food that is cooking unattended, Chesterfield Fire and EMS said residents should make sure the stove is turned off when they are done cooking. "Never leave flammable items, like oven mitts, near a heat source. In addition, make sure to clean your oven and stove to make sure they are free of grease. And, if you are deep frying a turkey for Thanksgiving, do so outdoors, away from the exterior of your home," Chesterfield Fire and EMS said.