IStock Photo 6127889 © Scott Leman

Once that turkey is finally in the oven be sure to keep an eye on it. Twice as many cooking-related house fires occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. Not only that—the fires are deadlier and more expensive.

While most Americans are counting their blessings, firefighters are putting out nearly 4,300 blazes. On a normal day, 23% of fires take place in residences, but on Thanksgiving, that percentage jumps to 35%. The vast majority of these fires—83%—start on top of the stove or in the oven. These blazes claim more lives than fires on an average day, and cause 25% more property damage.

One recent fad has literally added fuel to the (potential) fire: the taste for deep-fried turkeys. The large fryers use gallons of cooking oil, which boils at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. If too much oil is added it can easily boil over—or the fryers can tip—creating the perfect catalyst for a holiday blaze. From 1998 to 2007, there were 138 reported incidents involving turkey fryers, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. These resulted in 36 injuries and nearly $8 million in property loss.

In 2005, some Oregon construction workers in a holiday spirit burned down an unsold home they had just finished building when the oil in a deep fryer caught fire. The fryer’s thermometer was broken, so the men couldn’t tell the oil was overheated. Many fryers don’t even have a thermostat in the first place, one of the reasons the Underwriter’s Laboratory, which tests products for safety, will not give turkey fryers their seal of approval.

But if you live through roasting the bird, browning the rolls, and boiling the green beans, there is some good news. In general the odds a residential structure fire will be caused by cooking equipment are 1 in 3.13, but house fires caused by cooking fall way off on the day after Thanksgiving—making it one of the safest days to hang around the kitchen. That’s probably because many of us are standing in front of an open fridge, snacking on leftovers.

For a Thanksgiving meal that would win a firefighter’s approval, check out this recipe for barbequed turkey bake by Brad Pittman of the Thomson Fire Department in Georgia, courtesy of the Fire House Chef.com.