Will the NJ drought cancel your deep-fried turkey tradition? We asked and found out

2-minute read

Deep-frying a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner can be a tradition for some, a risky adventure for others and a generally bad idea for many.

News of quick-spreading oil fires followed a deep-frying fad that spread from the South and across the country a generation or so ago, as first-time fryers frequently overloaded their outdoor containers, causing hot oil to spill or ignite when it hit a propane burner.

So given the extraordinary drought conditions and elevated fire risk in New Jersey as Thanksgiving approaches, and with firefighters battling wildfires across the state, we felt it reasonable to ask if it was safe — or even legal — to fire up your backyard deep-fryer for the holiday?

Jeffrey Paul, director of the Morris County Office of Emergency Management, said the law says you can do it, but for Pete’s sake, “safety first!”

“The issue of frying turkeys as we get closer to Thanksgiving is not restricted since the cooking is done with propane and not an open burn,” Paul said. “This, however, does not mean that anyone frying a turkey should not be using extreme caution.”

Deep-fried turkey dangers

Even during normal weather conditions, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and injuries in the United States, and the top two days cooking fires start are Thanksgiving and the day before, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

An estimated 1,160 home cooking fires were reported to officials across the country on Thanksgiving Day 2021, a 297% increase over the daily average, according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association. That year, emergency personnel responded to about 170,000 home cooking fires nationally, according to data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

With an elevated fire risk during a record period of drought, New Jersey firefighters are hoping for a break and a quiet holiday, free of alarms.

“As you are well aware, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service as well as our mutual aid coordinators and fire departments throughout Morris County and throughout New Jersey have been extremely busy fighting wild land fires and the fire risk still remains high,” Paul said. “All warnings, precautions and restrictions remain in place.”

Deep-fried turkey directives

To that end, Paul offers the following tips for a safe and succulent Thanksgiving:

• Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors, a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials. “The location where you choose to cook the turkey should be free of anything that has the potential to burn,” Paul said.
• Never use turkey fryers under an overhang, in a garage or on a wooden deck.
• Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce the likelihood of accidental tipping.
• Safety first!