By Neal Doyle

State Fire Marshall Matt Perez is encouraging Illinoisans to be safety-conscious when preparing the Thanksgiving feast. Perez says smokers and deep-fryers are fire hazards when used properly, and even more dangerous when misused. According to Perez, smokers are often moved indoors because of cold November weather, but he adds that it’s always a bad idea and that smokers and outdoor grills should always be kept at least 10 feet away from anything combustible–like your home. Deep fryers that can accommodate a turkey can also be dangerous because the oil can overflow onto the open burner. Perez sums it up for cooks throughout the state—“basically it just makes a huge fireball.” Perez says pets and children need to be kept away from any cooking appliances, whether indoors or out and he says it’s never a bad idea to have a fire extinguisher close to the cooking area.