It’s grilling season, and your family is eagerly awaiting the sizzle of meat on the hot grill, the aroma of barbecue and seasonings, and the first bite of delicious grilled foods, slightly charred to give them that extra flavor.

As the grilling season gets under way this Memorial Day weekend, put these safety tips to practice to make sure that all you’re grilling is food – not your property.

* Location, location, location – When grilling, don’t put your grill in the center of all the activity. This could lead to potential disaster, because guests could accidentally bump into it and get burned, or worse, knock the grill over, completely destroying food and potentially igniting your property with hot charcoal or gas flames. If you’re having a big Memorial Day bash, make sure you get the grill out of the way.

Also check to see what property you have around the grill, and don’t forget to look above the grill as well. If your house overhang is directly over the grill, pull the grill out, further away from the house. Many safety organizations recommend keeping a grill at least 10 feet away from buildings, cars and other structures.

* Monitor the grill – and the food. Nobody likes to eat grilled food that’s overdone, which is a good reason to always have at least one person monitoring the grill the entire time it’s in use. For your Memorial Day celebration, rotate grill masters so one person isn’t missing out on the rest of the fun.

* Turn off and put it away – No matter if you’re using gas or charcoal, always make sure you properly put away the grill after every use. Always let charcoal cool down before removing and putting into a noncombustible container. You can also take an extra precaution by thoroughly soaking the ashes first. For your gas grill, turn off the burner controls and close the valves to the gas cylinders.

* Clean it up – Grease and oil from those delicious burgers and other foods can build up in the grease pan and on the grill. This collection of grease can be very combustible, and if not cleaned properly, could cause unexpected scorching of your next meal, or lead to a potential fire. Make sure you clean the grease pans out on a frequent basis.

Enjoy your Memorial Day activities this year, and keep your family and guests safe during your backyard barbecue with these grill safety practices.