MT. VERNON — Thanksgiving is a time for good food, but with more cooking brings a higher fire risk. Mt. Vernon Fire Chief Kevin Sargent is warning residents to be careful this Thanksgiving season so a time to be thankful doesn’t turn into a time of tragedy.

Sargent says he understands that many people like deep frying their turkey, but it can also be a fire danger if you aren’t careful.

Sargent says his department does normally see an uptick in fires this time of year, some being cooking-related fires while others are related to overloaded electrical outlets because of space heaters and other home appliances.