How Thanksgiving cooks can keep themselves and their family and friends safe

Cranberry sauce, political arguments with family and mashed potatoes aren’t the only things Coloradans should prepare for ahead of tomorrow’s Thanksgiving holiday.

According to a report from the U.S. Fire Administration, fires in houses and other residential buildings happen more often on Thanksgiving Day than on any other day of the year. From 2017-2019, an average of 2,300 residential fires occurred on Thanksgiving due to cooking mishaps.

Some tips for anyone celebrating the holiday include limiting alcohol consumption while cooking and replacing smoke alarm batteries before the first burner is lit. The National Fire Protection Agency also included keeping children away from knives, lighters, and hot liquids in its top safety tips.

But those planning to deep fry their holiday turkey should take even more precautions.

A turkey must be fully thawed before going into a fryer and be watched at all times.

Mountain View Fire Rescue, which serves portions of Weld and Boulder counties, posted an infographic on its Twitter account, reminding residents of the potential dangers of turkey fryers. It shares information on how to avoid oil burns, how to properly prepare a turkey before lowering it into the oil, and how to keep the chef as safe as possible. Likewise, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission tweeted a minute-long video illustrating how fast frying a turkey can turn into a devastating house fire.

“Cook the turkey, not your home.” The video says.