As families gather for Thanksgiving, a dangerous situation can develop through a combination of dinner and distractions. Cooking fires are the most common type of home fires on Thanksgiving, and there are more of them than at any other time of the year. Cooking surfaces should never be left unattended. It’s important to have the right type of fire extinguisher on hand because water should never be used on a grease fire. Cooking a turkey in a deep-fryer is becoming more popular every year, but it’s inherently a very dangerous practice. A turkey fryer should only be used outdoors on a level surface and children should not be allowed anywhere near it. More holiday cooking safety tips can be found at nfpa.org.