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Phoenix Fire Department warns of top Thanksgiving nightmares

Whether it's frying the turkey or out-of-towners hiking, there's plenty to be cautious of this Thursday.

PHOENIX - Thanksgiving is fast approaching and the Phoenix Fire Department is getting the word out about what could go wrong on the holiday.

Turkey fryer fires make for dramatic YouTube video and can also lead to serious, even fatal, injuries.

"The most common mistake that people make is they overfill the fryer," said Capt. Larry Subervi of the Phoenix Fire Department. "The other big mistake people make is they put the fryer too close to the house."

If you're cooking inside, the fire department says there are dangers there too. That includes oven fires and stove top burns.

"Sometimes little kids will come and grab the pot of boiling water off of the stove or they'll open the stove and have the radiant burns as well," Subervi said.

From cooking to the outdoors, firefighters are worried about mountain rescues. Last year, on Thanksgiving Day alone, Phoenix fire crews had to make four rescues between Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak. Fire officials recommend family members visiting from out of town should be prepared with plenty of water and sturdy shoes.

"It's not something that someone who is not an avid hiker should take on," Subervi said.

Pools are bound to be busy Thursday with the potential for record-breaking temperatures. The Phoenix Fire Department is reminding parents to keep a close eye on kids near the water.

"It's easy for those little ones to get lost or to stray away so pool barriers are huge for us here in the Valley," Subervi said.

Thanksgiving and the following days are the busiest time for people to put up Christmas lights so officials want to ensure there are no circuit fires or falling injuries.

"Make sure you have surge protectors in place. Indoor lights for indoors and outdoor lights for outdoors is another key," said Subervi.

Another thing to lookout for this holiday weekend are road conditions. As with any holiday, police expect an uptick in drunk driving. You can download the ADOT Alerts phone app which will alert you of a wrong-way driver.

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