Halloween Fire Safety: Simple Steps to Prevent Fires and CO Incidents

October 16, 2025 — by Scanner Alerts Media

Halloween is fun—and it’s also a night when decorations, costumes, and candles can raise fire risk. The guidance below summarizes practical safety steps drawn from established fire-safety recommendations to help families enjoy the holiday while keeping hazards low.

Costumes and visibility

• Choose costumes without long, trailing fabric that could brush a flame.

• If a mask is worn, make sure eye openings are large enough to see clearly.

• Give children flashlights or glow sticks to carry for lighting and visibility.

Decorations and placement

• Dried items like cornstalks, crepe paper, and dried flowers can ignite easily. Keep all decorations away from open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.

• Keep doorways, steps, walkways, and exits clear so decorations don’t block escape routes.

Jack-o’-lanterns and candles

• Use battery-operated candles or glow sticks inside jack-o’-lanterns whenever possible.

• If you choose real candles, use extreme caution: supervise children at all times when candles are lit, use long fireplace matches or a utility lighter, and place pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far enough from areas where trick-or-treaters pass.

• Teach children to stay away from open flames, including candle-lit pumpkins, and practice Stop, Drop, and Roll: stop immediately, drop to the ground, cover the face with hands, and roll to smother flames.

Alarms and readiness

• Make sure smoke alarms are working on every level of the home, inside bedrooms, and outside sleeping areas. Test them before the big night.

• If children are attending a Halloween party at someone else’s home, have them look for two ways out and discuss how they would leave in an emergency.

Generator and CO reminders for parties

• Never run generators or gasoline-powered tools indoors, including basements, garages, or sheds. If used, place generators outdoors only, well away from doors, windows, and vents.

• Install and test carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas. If a CO alarm sounds, move everyone to fresh air and call 911.

Why it matters

• Decorations are the first item to ignite in more than 800 home fires each year, and nearly one-third of those fires are started by a candle. Simple choices—battery candles, safer costumes, clear exits—make a measurable difference.

Celebrate safely by planning ahead, keeping flames away from anything that can burn, and checking alarms before guests arrive. A few minutes of preparation can prevent emergencies and keep the night focused on fun.

Credit: National Fire Protection Association (Halloween Fire Safety Tips); U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (generator/CO cautions); U.S. Fire Administration (smoke alarm and escape planning).