Now that sunny skies and hot temperatures have arrived, the first inclination for many people will be to heat up the barbecue grill.

While barbecuing can be a fun and tasty experience this Fourth of July weekend, it can also be dangerous. Foodborne illnesses tend to peak in the summer due to the rapid growth of bacteria that occurs in the warm weather.

"It's important that you use clean plates," said Kathy Bernard, technical information specialist with the United States Department of Agriculture's meat and poultry hotline. "You don't want to cross contaminate your cooked meat with the juices from the raw plate. Another thing people do is that they'll leave food outside for too long. Food should be consumed within two hours."

If the food isn't consumed within a two-hour period, it should be refrigerated or thrown out, according to Bernard.

People heading to picnic areas should be prepared with soap, paper towels and other cleaning materials to keep hands and other areas clean.

"Another thing people need to do is use food thermometers to make sure their food is cooked to minimum temperatures," Bernard said.

A chart for the internal temperatures of various foods can be found here. More food handling tips can be also be found on the USDA's Web site.

Grills can also cause serious damage and injury if they are not used correctly.

From 2003 to 2006, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of about 7,900 fires involving grills, hibachis or barbecues per year, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

In 2007, more than 18,600 people in the United State were admitted into emergency rooms because some sort of grill related injury, according to the NFPA. About half of those injuries were for thermal burns.

Sharon Gamache, program director for public education at the fire protection association, said people should make sure grills are not being used in enclosed areas such as garages.

"Keep children and pets away from the grill," Gamache said. "People can have a lot of friends over on the Fourth of July, and they need to keep grills away from the areas with the most traffic. Just like with stoves, you should have a safety area to keep children away from grills. When you look at emergency room records, children under five account for one-fourth of all burns that are reported from grills."

In the event of a burn, Gamache reminds people to submerse the burn in cold water for a period of three to five seconds and to refrain from using butter or any other ointments. If the injury is bigger than the palm of the victim's hand, than additional medical assistance should be sought out.

Doug Borrelli, manager at Bedford Hardware, said most grills are built with a slew of safety features to prevent malfunctions. One common feature is fail safe that shuts down the gas flow of a grill if there appears to be a leak.

"So often, folks will turn the gas up rapidly and that prevents the grill from lighting up because of the safety feature," Borelli said. "This can be avoided by opening it up gradually."