SW New Mexico News

Fire departments across the nation are urging caution as they prepare for an increase in structure fires during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Cooking mishaps are often cited as a primary cause of these seasonal incidents.

The Las Cruces Fire Department (LCFD) has issued safety recommendations for holiday chefs to help prevent accidents. They advise starting with a clean cooking area, keeping children and pets away from the kitchen, limiting the number of cooks to avoid crowding, avoiding loose clothing and jewelry that could interfere with cooking, and never leaving cooking areas unattended.

Deep-frying turkeys is popular but poses unique risks. The LCFD advises against using deep fryers in garages or on flammable surfaces. Fryers should be placed at least 10 feet away from any surface. The department also recommends checking hoses for cracks, ensuring proper distance between propane tanks and fryers, thawing turkeys completely before frying, handling them carefully when placing in or removing from fryers, monitoring oil temperatures regularly, and never leaving fryers unattended.

In case of a fire, LCFD emphasizes calling 911 rather than attempting to extinguish grease or oil fires with water. They also recommend having a fire extinguisher nearby and knowing how to use it properly.

For more safety tips during the holidays, residents can visit the Las Cruces Fire Department’s Cooking and Holiday Safety Tips page.