While Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends, it’s also a leading day for cooking fires.

Nearly four times as many home cooking fires happen on Thanksgiving as on other days of the year, the National Fire Protection Association says, and the day before Thanksgiving is the second-leading day.

Marion fire chief Mike Regier said firefighters often are called out for cooking fires on Thanksgiving, but most of the fires are called in before flames get out of hand.

In a recent four-year period, cooking was cited in 170,200 U.S. house fires resulting in 510 deaths, 5,470 injuries, and $1.2 billion in damage. Unattended cooking was the leading factor in these fires. Cooking fires caused 20 percent of all home fire deaths.

Distractions from guests may contribute to the problem.