RALEIGH - Half of the 17-thousand grill fires that happen each year occur during the first week in July, and local emergency officials want to help you stay safe if you're cooking out on July 4th.

Orange County Assistant Fire Marshall Elizabeth Gregory offers some advice on how to stay safe. “The main thing is to not have any loose clothing on when you’re grilling. When you light your grill, do it according to the manufacturer’s instructions and don’t grill next to any type of combustible materials.”

Gregory says it's important to check the connection between the propane tank and the fuel line.“Make sure you check…where the gas comes into the grill from the propane tanks that you don’t see any leaks because that could indicate that the propane take is too full.”

She says it's also important to dispose of hot coals properly. They should never be placed in a plastic, paper, or wooden container. You also should never add fluid to a fire because the flames can flash back and cause the container to explode.