Since barbecue as a style of cooking has been around since the invention of fire, it’s, well, hard to call it a trend.

Barbecue restaurants have been a staple for homestyle offerings and a friendly atmosphere for years. Proprietors, for the most part, have always shared a dedication to high-quality offerings — meats that are cooked low and slow and sauces prepared in-house.

There’s no mistaking the fact that the number of people cooking over fire has spiked dramatically in recent years. More households are comfortable cooking outside year round, and true smoker-driven barbecue restaurants are moving from the sticks into the suburbs and even popping up in major downtown markets.

Heck, you know you’re cooking trendy food when your newest competition calls themselves “fast-casual.”

So what’s fueling the recent flames?

For most, it’s all about the flavor. In a recent study by the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, nearly three in four (71%) survey respondents said flavor is the main reason they cook with their grills and smokers.

“We think this trend owes a lot to a relatively healthy economy as well as peoples’ continued passion for culinary adventure and bringing out the flavor of their food,” said Jack Goldman, president and CEO of the HPBA. “We are optimistic about the state and future of our industry.”

To capture consumer trends around grilling and barbecuing, HPBA conducted a Barbecue Lifestyle, Usage & Attitude Study about the state of barbecuing today. Other highlights from the 2015 study:

75% of U.S. adults own a grill or smoker. 62% of households that own a grill own a gas grill, followed by charcoal (53%), and electric (12%).

54% cook for personal enjoyment, followed by entertaining family/friends (42%), convenience (32%) and hobby/experimentation (23%). Beyond holidays, 55% barbecued for birthday parties, 24% on a camping trip and 14% during tailgating activities for sporting events.

Owners are consistently looking to learn new barbecuing skills and/or broaden their techniques. In the last 12 months:

• 43% researched new grilling techniques or recipes to use for grilling
• 22% researched techniques for improving food quality when grilling
• 31% smoked or slow-cooked meat
• 31% cooked at a location other than their home

Consumers plan to barbecue more as well as purchase new grills and smokers in the coming months. More than a third (37%) of U.S. adults surveyed plan to purchase a new grill or smoker in 2016, while nearly a third (30%) of current owners plan to grill with greater frequency.

Wood pellet grill ownership appears to be on the rise: Although their current share of the market is 2%, 7% of the prospective buyers plan to purchase one in the coming year.

Among grill owners, the most popular grilling days of the year are:

• Fourth of July (76%)
• Labor Day (62%)
• Memorial Day (62%)
• Father’s Day (49%)
• Mother’s Day (34%)