To avoid the city’s first turkey fryer fire, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire-Medical is reminding holiday cooks to stay apprised of safety tips if they choose that method of preparing the family dinner.

The department shared advice on its Facebook page, urging residents to only deep fry smaller turkeys and to do so outdoors and away from buildings. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking is one of the main causes of home fires and fire injuries.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire-Medical recommends that cooks keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby and pay close attention to their fryer’s instructions. Never leave the fryer unattended.

While turkey frying fires have been common elsewhere, fire officials here do not remember a recent occurrence.