Cooking fires continue to be the most common type of fires experienced by U.S. households. This is even more apparent during the holidays – especially on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District officials say these fires are preventable by simply being more attentive to the use of cooking materials and equipment.

New this year, Tahoe Douglas is recycling that cooking oil. Throughout the holiday season it may be dropped for free at Station 23, 193 Elks Point Road, Round Hill.

“A lot of attention has been focused on deep fryers for turkeys. They need to be used with extreme caution. Please be aware because of the fire danger associated with turkey deep fryers they are not given an UL safety rating,” the department said in a news release.

It is recommended that cookers never be left unattended, that they be used on a stable surface away and outside of any structures. Thaw the turkey because ice and water can cause a violent reaction with grease and cause a flash fire. Pre-measure the oil before placing the bird in the cooker, as overflowing oil will also cause a violent flame. Have an all-purpose ABC type fire extinguisher at hand. Never use water to fight a grease fire.