Campfire and BBQ Safety: Preventing Burns This Summer
Open flames are a summer staple — campfires, BBQs, fire pits, and sparklers. Here is how to keep children safe and exactly what to do when a burn happens.
To treat a burn: (1) stop the burning and move the child to safety; (2) cool the burn under cool running water for 5–20 minutes — start as soon as possible and cool all thermal burns, including severe ones (use tap-temperature water, never ice); (3) remove clothing and jewellery near the burn unless stuck; (4) cover loosely with a clean non-stick dressing or cling wrap. Do not apply butter, toothpaste, or ice, and do not pop blisters. Call 911 for large or deep burns, burns to the face, hands, feet or genitals, or any burn on a baby.
Burns are one of the most common summer injuries in children. Campfires, BBQ grills, fire pits, sparklers, and even sun-heated playground equipment can cause burns ranging from mild redness to injuries that require skin grafts. What makes burns particularly dangerous for young children is that their skin is thinner than adult skin — a temperature that causes a first-degree burn in an adult can cause a second- or third-degree burn in a toddler.
Prevention is always the first priority. But when a burn does happen, knowing the correct first aid — and just as importantly, knowing what not to do — can dramatically affect the outcome.
Understanding Burn Severity
| Degree | What It Looks Like | How It Feels | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| First degree (superficial) | Red skin, no blisters | Painful, tender to touch | Cool with running water (5–20 min), then aloe vera or plain petrolatum jelly, and over-the-counter pain relief. Heals in 3–5 days. |
| Second degree (partial thickness) | Red, blistered, moist-looking skin | Very painful, especially when exposed to air | Cool with running water (5–20 min), cover with a clean non-stick dressing, seek medical attention for burns larger than the child’s palm or on the face/hands/feet/joints/genitals. |
| Third degree (full thickness) | White, brown, or charred skin. May look waxy or leathery | May be painless (nerve damage) — surrounding areas will be painful | Call 911. Still cool the burn with running water while waiting for help, then cover loosely with a clean non-stick dressing. This is a medical emergency. |
Source: Canadian Red Cross 2025; Heart & Stroke Foundation / AHA 2024 burn first-aid guidance (cool all thermal burns immediately with running water).
Burn First Aid: The Right Way
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Stop the burning and move to safety
Remove the child from the heat source and ensure your own safety first. Stopping the burning process is the priority before anything else.
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Cool the burn with running water
Cool the burn under cool (not ice-cold) running water for 5 to 20 minutes. Start as soon as possible — the sooner cooling begins, the less tissue damage occurs. Use tap-temperature water, not ice or ice water. Cool every thermal burn, including severe or third-degree burns. If no running water is available, ice wrapped in a cloth can be applied to a superficial (intact-skin) burn for no more than 10 minutes to avoid frostbite. Keep the rest of a young child warm and watch for shivering, because cooling a large burn can lower body temperature.
Source: Canadian Red Cross 2025; AHA 2024 (cool immediately, “may be reasonable to cool for 5–20 minutes”). ILCOR 2025 states there is no proven single best duration; watch young children for excessive body cooling.
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Remove clothing and jewellery near the burn
Remove clothing and jewellery near the burn — but only if they are not stuck to the skin. Cut clothing away if needed. Remove rings, watches, and bracelets before swelling starts.
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Cover the burn loosely
After cooling, cover the burn loosely with a clean, non-stick dressing or clean cling wrap. This protects the wound from infection and reduces pain from air exposure. Leave blisters intact.
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Manage pain and seek help if needed
Give age-appropriate acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain. Seek medical care for the burns listed below, and call 911 for large or deep burns, burns to the airway, or any burn on a baby.
When to Seek Medical Attention
- Any burn on a baby under 12 months
- Burns larger than the palm of the child’s hand (or more than about 5% of a child’s body surface)
- Burns on the face, hands, feet, joints, or genitals
- Second-degree burns with blisters, and all third-degree burns
- Electrical or chemical burns
- Burns that wrap around a limb (circumferential burns)
- Any sign of inhalation injury (burns around the mouth or nose, soot, hoarse voice, coughing)
- Any burn where you are unsure of the severity
Source: Canadian Red Cross 2025; AHA 2024 burn-centre referral criteria (face/hands/feet/genitals, >10% body surface — >5% in children — or inhalation injury → activate EMS).
Campfire Safety Rules
- Create a safety perimeter — mark a circle at least 2 metres (6 feet) from the fire that children must stay behind. Use chairs, logs, or a visible line in the dirt
- Active adult supervision at all times — never leave a campfire unattended when children are present
- Teach “stop, drop, and roll” — make it a game so children remember. If clothing catches fire: stop moving, drop to the ground, cover your face, and roll to smother the flames
- Keep water and a fire extinguisher nearby — a bucket of water or sand should always be within arm’s reach
- Extinguish completely — drown the fire with water, stir the ashes, and drown again. Coals and ashes can stay hot enough to cause serious burns long after the flames are out, so treat a “dead” fire pit as still dangerous
- No running near fires — enforce this rule consistently and explain why
Source: fire-safety guidance from the Canada Safety Council and Health Canada.
BBQ and Grill Safety
- Establish a 1-metre (3-foot) “kid-free zone” around the grill
- Never leave a hot grill unattended
- Keep lighter fluid, matches, and lighters locked away from children
- After cooking, remember that grill surfaces stay dangerously hot for a long time — keep children away until the grill has fully cooled
- Position the grill on a level surface, away from wooden fences, overhanging branches, and play areas
- Check propane connections for leaks before each use (apply soapy water and watch for bubbles)
Sparkler Safety
Sparklers burn extremely hot — far hotter than most parents expect — and are a leading cause of firework-related burn injuries in young children, according to Health Canada and the Canada Safety Council. Because the tip stays scorching hot even after the sparks stop, they deserve real caution.
- Children under five should never hold sparklers
- Older children should hold sparklers at arm’s length, away from the body and face
- Light one sparkler at a time
- Place used sparklers in a bucket of water immediately — they remain hot long after they stop sparking
- Wear closed-toe shoes (not sandals) when using sparklers
Source: Health Canada consumer fireworks safety guidance; Canada Safety Council.
Hot Surface Burns: The Overlooked Risk
Metal playground slides, seatbelt buckles, and pavement can become hot enough on a sunny day to cause a contact burn in seconds. Before placing your child on any outdoor surface in summer, test it with the back of your hand for five seconds. If it is too hot for your hand, it is too hot for your child’s skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I run cool water on a burn?
Cool a burn under cool running water for 5 to 20 minutes, per the Canadian Red Cross and Heart & Stroke Foundation (aligned with AHA 2024 guidelines). The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) notes there is no proven single best duration, so guidance teaches a 5-to-20-minute range. Start cooling as soon as possible and use clean, tap-temperature water — not ice, ice water, or frozen peas, which can deepen tissue damage.
Can I put aloe vera on a burn?
Aloe vera gel can be applied to a small, superficial (first-degree) burn after cooling, per the Canadian Red Cross and AHA 2024 guidance, which also list plain petrolatum jelly or honey as options for small partial-thickness burns at home. Do not apply aloe vera to deeper burns, large burns, or blistered burns needing medical care, and avoid products with added fragrance or alcohol, which can irritate burned skin.
Are sparklers dangerous for children?
Yes. Sparklers burn extremely hot and are a leading cause of firework-related burn injuries in young children, according to Health Canada and the Canada Safety Council. Children under five should never handle sparklers. Older children should hold them at arm’s length away from the body and face, and used sparklers should be placed in a bucket of water immediately because they stay dangerously hot after they stop sparking.
Should I pop burn blisters?
No. A burn blister is the body’s natural sterile dressing — it protects the damaged skin underneath and promotes healing, per the Canadian Red Cross. Popping a blister exposes raw tissue to bacteria and increases the risk of infection and scarring. If a blister breaks on its own, gently clean the area, cover it with a clean non-stick dressing, and see a doctor for large blisters or blisters on the hands, feet, or face.
When should a child’s burn be seen by a doctor?
Per Canadian Red Cross and AHA 2024 guidance, seek medical care and activate EMS for any burn on a baby, burns to the face, hands, feet, or genitals, burns larger than the palm of the child’s hand (or more than about 5% of a child’s body surface), blistered or deep burns, electrical or chemical burns, burns that wrap around a limb, inhalation injury, and any burn where you are unsure of the severity. When in doubt, have the burn assessed by a healthcare professional.
Sources & medical review
Written and reviewed by Milos Radojcic (Canadian Red Cross / Heart & Stroke / Lifesaving Society First Aid & CPR Instructor, 10+ yrs). Clinical content aligned with the Canadian Red Cross (2025), the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada and AHA 2024 burn first-aid guidance, and the 2025 ILCOR consensus, with fire-safety guidance from Health Canada and the Canada Safety Council. Last reviewed July 2026.