Did you know?
Campfire accidents are the cause of thousands of emergency room visits each year for both children and adults. Burns account for 74 percent of all children’s camping injuries and nearly 50 percent of children admitted to hospitals with burns are under 4 years old.
Following some simple tips can help camping be fun and safe
- Make sure that your campsite allows campfires.
- Make sure there are no burn bans and it’s not too windy.
- Dig a pit away from overhanging branches and circle the pit with rocks.
- Clear a 10-foot area around the pit down to the dirt, removing anything that could catch on fire.
- Stack extra wood upwind and away from fire.
- After lighting, throw the match into the fire.
- Never leave a campfire unattended; an adult must supervise the campfire at all times.
- Keep a bucket of water and shovel nearby.
- When it’s time to put the fire out, dump lots of water on it, stir it with a shovel, then dump more water on it. Make sure it is COLD before leaving the campsite. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave!
Sources:
“Campfire Safety”, (accessed 04/21/2017), available at smokeybear.com
