ALBANY, Ga. - Thanksgiving may bring family, food, and celebration but safety experts say it also brings the highest risk of cooking fires all year.

According to national safety data, Thanksgiving Day sees an average of 1,400 cooking fires, making it the peak day for these incidents.

And on top of that, Georgia leads the nation in cooking fires.

One major culprit: improperly deep-frying frozen or partially frozen turkeys.

“When you dip your turkey in the oil and it’s over the fill line, you want to take some of that oil out,” said Mark Holloway, with Modern Gas in Leesburg. “If you don’t and you put a frozen turkey in there then it will boil over. It will catch on fire from the burner below and you will have a fire that will probably shoot up two stories in the sky.”

Holloway says preparation is key to preventing dangerous and costly accidents.

He recommends:

• Inspecting equipment: Check the hose regulator for cracks or dry rot and replace it if damaged.
• Testing for leaks: Spray a leak solution around the gas valve; bubbles indicate a leak.
• Checking the flame: A proper burner should show a blue flame a yellow flame signals it isn’t clean.

Holloway adds that several common mistakes are often overlooked:

• Watch the temperature: If your fryer thermometer enters the red zone, the risk of fire increases.
• Choose the right location: Always fry on a flat, level surface away from homes or structures.
• Never fry indoors or in a garage: If a fire erupts, flames can shoot up two stories high.

Holloway advises cooks to plan ahead. “You really need to check it out a couple days before,” he said. “If your fryer is not in good shape, then you’re going to be scrambling — and you could have an accident.”

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