A few basic stove questions
Different oils burn at different temperatures. I'm guessing that you don't have a thermometer that will measure the heat of your pan (that's a pretty specialized item that most cooks don't have), so just know which oils you use have low smoke points, and which have high. Here's a good chart concerning smoke points, and here is a good answer about guaging the heat of the pan Cooking on the stove: what is &quot;too hot&quot; for a pan?. Deep frying (with a couple of centemeters of oil in the pan or more) is different. For that you should use a thermometer if you can. Most deep frying is done at 350F (175C). Choose an oil with a smoke point well above that. If you don't have a thermometer, drop a small piece of whatever you're frying into the oil, and look for it to start to brown right away, without threatening to burn.

You can tell when your oil is getting to it's maximum safe and tasty temperature when it just starts to smoke a tiny bit. That tiny bit is OK, just don't go any further. Ideally, you should start with all the oil that you will need, so you don't have to add more. An exception to that is if you're frying in batches. If you need to add oil, give it time to get as hot as for your last batch.

Any oil can catch fire if it gets too hot. If that happens, usually the best way to put out a grease fire is to get a lid on the pan to deprive it of oxygen. Kitchens should also have a fire extinguisher (B type, or ABC or AB type). NEVER use water to put out a grease fire.

Finally, the easiest way to spread oil is usually to tip and swirl the pan. If the oil isn't hugely hot, you can also use a paper towel to spread it.