Thanksgiving happens every year.

Somebody attempting to fry a Thanksgiving Turkey sets the house on fire.

The holiday can bring other cooking disasters that may require firefighters to crash Thanksgiving gatherings - burns, kitchen fires and more.

Food-related snafus are easily avoided when cooks follow simple precautions. Listed below are some tips to those Thanksgiving cooks:

Frying Tips

• Turn pan handles in when cooking something on the stove.

• Don't wear loose clothing. If you must, pull up your sleeves or wear gloves.

• Be sure to clean out the oven before and after cooking. Drippings can catch fire.

• Don't keep flammable items such as hot pads or plastic tools close to the oven.

• If there are several people in the kitchen, announce whenever you're moving a       hot  food item.

• Stay in the kitchen whenever something is cooking. If you must bake a pie while eating your Thanksgiving dinner, check on it often throughout the meal.

• Keep a fire extinguisher within reach when you're cooking.

• Establish a safe zone around your oven or fryer. Tell children they need to stay outside your cooking area.

• Be sure to turn off your oven when you've finished cooking.

• If you choose to fry your turkey, do so outdoors. Set up your supplies in the middle of your backyard rather than right next to your home.

Also plan to use a turkey that weights 12 pounds or less because it will be easier to handle in the fryer.

Less flammable oils such as canola, peanut or safflower are recommended.

• Fill your fryer with water before you fry the turkey to see how much oil you will need. This will prevent you from using so much oil that the fryer overflows.

• If a grease fire sparks, don't put water on it. Have a lid ready and use it to keep the fire from spreading.

Oven Baking Tips