Anchorage, AK – Alaska fire officials are warning residents to use caution this Thanksgiving when deep-frying turkeys, saying the combination of frozen birds, hot oil, and subfreezing outdoor temperatures can lead to serious fires and injuries.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, Thanksgiving Day is the most fire-prone holiday of the year, with more than 2,300 cooking-related incidents annually. Newsweek data shows that deep-fryer accidents cause five deaths, 60 injuries, and around $15 million in property damage nationwide each year.
The danger occurs when frozen or wet turkeys are placed into oil heated to 350 degrees. The trapped moisture turns instantly to steam, expanding 1,700 times its volume, sending boiling oil over the fryer’s rim and onto flames or nearby materials — igniting fires almost instantly.
The National Fire Protection Association advises against outdoor oil fryers, recommending air fryers, infrared models, or store-bought fried turkeys as safer alternatives. For those determined to fry outdoors, officials urge setting up on level concrete away from buildings, ensuring turkeys are completely thawed and dry, and keeping a fire extinguisher within reach.
