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WATCH: Fire department demonstrates dangers of frying turkey this Thanksgiving
My name is William Farhead. I’m the acting division chief of Orange County Fire Rescue. My last name is spelled F *** R H *** T. So we’re here today to talk about safe cooking with turkey fryers. It’s *** common thing there community that people fry their turkeys, but there are *** lot of hazards with it. There’s *** lot of threats with it. So we want to talk about the day and how we can prepare properly that way we can have *** great turkey at the end of the day. So an issue that we see is that people are buying turkeys that are too large for their pots. So the first thing you need to do is make sure you’re buying *** turkey that actually fits the pot you’re going to be frying it in after that. You want to make sure that you are prepared to have the right amount of oil inside of your pot. *** common problem that causes serious fires are people are overfilling their pots, putting *** turkey in, and then the oil runs over. So ahead of time, take your turkey, put it in the pot, and fill it with water and see what water level is to make sure it doesn’t overflow and at least 2 inches below the top of the pot, and then that way you know how much oil you need to put in. You can know the like amount to put. Once you’ve done that, of course, dry off your turkey, dry off your pot because water inside that pot would be devastating when the oil heats up later. When you are ready to cook your turkey, make sure you’re cooking *** thawed turkey. Cooking *** frozen turkey is *** disastrous situation. You’re going to cause *** fire with that. So thaw your turkey ahead of time. If you’re going to be doing it in *** refrigerator, that takes days. It’s roughly 2 days per pound, so make sure you’re prepared in advance. If you’re using soaking in warmer water or using *** microwave, you can do it closer to it, but obviously it changes the way you’re going to cook it. Once you’ve thawed your turkey and it’s ready to go and you’re going to put it in your oil, make sure your oil temperature is 350 degrees. Higher than that is going to cause again another problem where the oil is going to overflow and cause *** fire. So 350 degrees, not too much oil, making sure that your pot is anywhere near the home right there, that is *** bad example. We’re not showing you how to do it properly. We’re showing you what the threat is. By having it close to *** home, if there’s *** fire to occur, your house will catch fire. You need to make sure that your pot is on level ground. Having it on level ground could cause it to sip over once you place the turkey inside. Another issue would be what type of surface are you putting it on. That today is *** wooden surface. We wouldn’t want you to do that if you had it on wood again. If the fire comes over, you’re going to catch the wood on fire. You prefer to have it on level dirt or level concrete at least 10 ft away from your home, and that includes any overhang. You don’t want *** fire to catch an overhang on fire, so make sure that you’re away from any overhangs and away from your structure. So once you have the proper location, the proper preparation of your turkey, including the level of your oil, you’re able to start and when you are. You should, I should add, you should also have *** means of extinguishing *** fire should won’t occur. We have *** fire extinguisher there. You should always have *** fire extinguisher nearby in case you do have *** fire. So now you’re prepared to start. You set your turkey in carefully. You monitor and bring it out. You should be OK. You should not have any issues. Today our demonstration is going to show you how to do it wrong. We’re not going to show you any of the right ways to do it. We’re going to show you the opposite because that is our common problem. This turkey is going to overflow. The pot, the oil is going to run over the sides of the pot. You’re going to see exponential growth of fire because typically people are doing it with *** frozen turkey or *** turkey they haven’t dried off the surface area to, and you’re going to see that water being introduced to the oil which causes an explosive fire. You’ll probably see damage to the siding, which is very common because that heat will melt siding and could catch it on fire. So again, what we are showing today is the improper way. So hopefully people will use that example to take their it’s *** pretty dynamic example to take it away from the building. That’s *** great question. *** garden hose would not be the way to put out *** fire like this. You’re adding water to oil. Water and oil fires do not mix. It is not the correct way to put out *** fire. You should use an ABC fire extinguisher if you can. That’s the dry chemical fire extinguishers. Most homes have those and do it from *** distance if you feel safe. Using *** fire extinguisher is *** band-aid, if you will, to put on fire. If you’re able to and you feel safe and you have *** means of escape, please use your fire extinguisher and try to put the fire out. But I would immediately call 911 because if your extinguisher doesn’t work, you’re delaying the assistance of resources. One of the things I know that we use *** lot of different types of oil that be taken into consideration with our fire prevention. Well, I think everyone should be careful with oil they use. I know there are many different types of oil that are used by people. I do not have *** preference for you, just that the temperature stays 350 degrees and not beyond that. It’s the best recommendation. I didn’t want to have any other questions. I’m glad you. All right, I utility, yup. Just before we light up the turkey, we also have *** representative from Orange County Utilities, Milton Rodriguez, who’s going to speak about how to properly dispose of your oils, fats and greases after you safely fry your turkey. Thank you and good morning. My name is Milton Rodriguez. I’m the environmental supervisor for Orange County Water Reclamation Division. OK. And as we approach this holiday season for Thanksgiving, *** time for family, friends, and celebration, I’d like to remind you about something we often don’t think about. Which is fog. Which stands for fats, oils, and grease. Every year when you safely fry your turkeys, your casseroles, and those rich dishes. People tend to flush all of their leftover grease down their kitchen sinks. And over time This, it might not seem like *** big deal, but this grease cools and after it cools, it hardens inside of your plumbing pipes. And over time sticks to the walls of your sewage pipe and and attract food particles, food waste, and create serious clogs. In fact, The worst time for sewage blockups. Is the day after Thanksgiving. which has been deemed by social media. As #brownFriday. The results can be slow drains. Unpleasant odors and sewage backups. And no one wants to deal with this during the holiday season. So this is some things that you could do to help. Can it, cool it, and trash it. Pour used oil and grease into cans and disposable containers. Let it cool and dispose of it in your garbage cans. Wipe before you wash. Take paper towels, wipe excess grease off your pots and pans before rinsing. If we keep fats, oils in Greece out of our drains. We protect our home Our environment And our community So this Thanksgiving, remember. Don’t pour leftovers down the drain. Save them for the trash. Not your pipes. I’d like to thank you. Have *** blessed holiday. I thought OK, we’re gonna transition to the demonstration now, so I guess we can move these out of the way. Yeah. Take the phone to the side. Thank you, Jerry. I appreciate the uh same. OK, hold on, hold on. Yeah. You ready? Not yet, not yet. OK. We’re good. We’re good. OK. OK, one more time. Yeah Success, yes.
WATCH: Fire department demonstrates dangers of frying turkey this Thanksgiving
Updated: 4:11 PM EST Nov 21, 2025
Cooking fires are the primary cause of home fires and associated injuries nationwide, according to the Orange County Fire Rescue Department.On Friday, firefighters conducted a live demonstration showing what happens when a frozen turkey is dropped into overheated or overfilled oil. The oil quickly boiled over and ignited, sending a large fireball into the air.As Thanksgiving approaches, the OCFRD is highlighting the dangers of frying turkeys. Firefighters say they see the same dangerous mistakes every year.“It’s a common thing that people do in the community to fry their turkeys, but there are a lot of hazards and threats,” Acting Division Chief William Farhat said.When a frozen turkey is dropped into an overloaded hot oil fryer, it can cause oil to spill and create a fire risk.This can result in severe burns, property destruction and even explosions if flammable materials are involved, according to the OCFRD.Officials recommend frying a turkey at 350 degrees, ensuring the bird is fully thawed and dried, and never pouring leftover oil down the sink. Improper preparation, especially using a partially frozen turkey, can create an explosive fire reaction.“Typically people are doing it with a frozen turkey or a turkey they haven’t dried out, which causes that explosive fire effect,” Farhat said. This can prevent clogged household pipes and damage to the sewer system.Orange County Utilities officials also attended the event to share guidance on safe disposal of fats, oils and grease to prevent clogged pipes and sewer damage during the holiday season.The demonstration was held at the Orange County Fire Rescue Training Facility.As families prepare for Thanksgiving, OCFRD hopes the dramatic visual serves as a reminder to stay safe and out of the emergency room.
Cooking fires are the primary cause of home fires and associated injuries nationwide, according to the Orange County Fire Rescue Department.
On Friday, firefighters conducted a live demonstration showing what happens when a frozen turkey is dropped into overheated or overfilled oil. The oil quickly boiled over and ignited, sending a large fireball into the air.
As Thanksgiving approaches, the OCFRD is highlighting the dangers of frying turkeys.
Firefighters say they see the same dangerous mistakes every year.
“It’s a common thing that people do in the community to fry their turkeys, but there are a lot of hazards and threats,” Acting Division Chief William Farhat said.
When a frozen turkey is dropped into an overloaded hot oil fryer, it can cause oil to spill and create a fire risk.
This can result in severe burns, property destruction and even explosions if flammable materials are involved, according to the OCFRD.
Officials recommend frying a turkey at 350 degrees, ensuring the bird is fully thawed and dried, and never pouring leftover oil down the sink. Improper preparation, especially using a partially frozen turkey, can create an explosive fire reaction.
“Typically people are doing it with a frozen turkey or a turkey they haven’t dried out, which causes that explosive fire effect,” Farhat said.
This can prevent clogged household pipes and damage to the sewer system.
Orange County Utilities officials also attended the event to share guidance on safe disposal of fats, oils and grease to prevent clogged pipes and sewer damage during the holiday season.
The demonstration was held at the Orange County Fire Rescue Training Facility.
As families prepare for Thanksgiving, OCFRD hopes the dramatic visual serves as a reminder to stay safe and out of the emergency room.
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