When you have little ones at home, fire safety becomes even more important. Young children are naturally curious and may not understand the potential dangers of fire. However, the numbers can be eye-opening. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Incident Archive for 2024 reported 8,110 wildfires that burned 1,077,711 acres and damaged or destroyed 2,481 structures. Although that can sound scary, fire safety doesn't have to be. Taking steps to prevent fires and preparing your family for emergencies can help keep the whole family safe, especially if you ever need to evacuate.
Wildfires can spread rapidly and unpredictably, sometimes giving families very little time to evacuate safely. Unlike house fires, wildfires may require you to leave your home and community entirely, potentially for extended periods. Here are some useful tips for wildfire preparedness:
Have a "go bag" ready:
Include essential items for each family member, like important documents, medications, and comfort items for children.
Create a safe zone:
If you live in a rural area, keep at least 100 feet of space around your home clear of plants that can catch fire easily. This open space can slow down or stop a wildfire from reaching your home and also helps keep firefighters safe.
If you have a landlord or property manager, let them know if you notice dead plants, untrimmed trees, or leaves in the gutters.
If you own your home, make sure to keep up with gutters, shrubs, and trees on your property.
During wildfire season:
Stay informed about fire conditions in your area.
Be prepared to evacuate quickly if authorities advise it.
Keep in mind you might not always receive an official notice to leave.
Ensure your family knows multiple evacuation routes from your neighborhood.
Remember, wildfire smoke can be harmful to breathe. Sometimes the safest thing to do is leave home temporarily to stay protected.
Fires burn fast and hot, with smoke that can make a room very dark. This reality makes fire safety especially crucial for families with young children, who face unique risks during fire emergencies. They sometimes need help getting out of the house and may not know how to escape or what to do unless someone shows them. Young children depend on adults for their safety. Having a solid prevention plan and teaching age-appropriate safety skills can make a huge difference in keeping your family safe.
Fire Safety Checklist for the Home
Finding and fixing things in your home that could cause a fire is the first step. Here’s a simple checklist to get started:
Smoke Alarms
Install smoke alarms on every floor of your home and, if possible, outside each sleeping area.
Test alarms monthly and keep fresh batteries on hand.
Talk with your child about the smoke alarms in your home and explain what they are for.
Keep Children Safe From Heat Sources
Keep children at least 3 feet away from anything that can get hot, including space heaters and stovetops.
Never leave food that’s cooking unattended when children are present.
Secure Fire-Starting Materials
Keep smoking materials, lighters, and matches locked up in a high place where children can’t reach them.
Don’t play with lighters or matches when you are with your children—they may try to copy what they see you do.
Fire Extinguishers and Safety Equipment
Keep fire extinguishers in key areas like the kitchen, near bedrooms, or by exit doors.
Make sure everyone knows where they are located.
Teaching fire safety to young children requires a delicate balance. You want to give them important knowledge without creating fear or anxiety. Children as young as preschool age can understand basic fire safety concepts when they're presented in simple, clear language. The key is to focus on empowering actions they can take rather than dwelling on scary scenarios.
Start by explaining that fire can be helpful when adults use it safely, like for cooking or warmth, but it can also be dangerous when it's not controlled. Help them understand that just like we have rules for crossing the street or playing at the park, we have special rules about fire to keep everyone safe.
Children learn best through repetition and practice, so be patient as you teach these concepts and celebrate their progress as they learn each safety skill:
Basic Safety Rules
Never touch matches, lighters, or candles—if you find them, tell an adult right away.
If you get burned, put the burn under cool water for 3–5 minutes and tell an adult immediately.
Emergency Response Skills
Stay low and get to your exit if you smell or see smoke or if your smoke alarm sounds.
Before opening a door, feel it—if it's hot, use your other exit.
Stay outside and don't go back inside for anything once you've escaped.
911 Skills
Preschoolers can learn how to dial 911 in case of an emergency.
Explain the importance of 911 and how it's only used for real emergencies, like a fire.
Remember that every child develops at their own pace. Some 3-year-olds might be ready to learn about calling 911, while others might need to focus first on the basic rule of "don't touch" when it comes to fire-related items. Teach your child accordingly and adjust your approach based on their maturity level and ability to understand.
Fires can spread incredibly quickly, sometimes overtaking a home in just minutes. While adults might instinctively know how to respond in an emergency, children can become confused, scared, or frozen when faced with the chaos of a fire. A well-thought-out escape plan removes the guesswork from a terrifying situation:
Plan Your Escape Routes: Learn and practice two ways out of every room and two ways out of your house in case the first exit is blocked or dangerous to use.
Special Considerations for Young Children: Have a plan for young children who can’t get outside by themselves. Remember, you will need to wake babies and very young children and help them get out. In your plan, talk about who will help each child get out safely.
Choose a Meeting Place: Choose a meeting place outside your home where everyone will gather. Children should know what to do when they hear a smoke alarm and there's no adult around. Help them practice going to the outside meeting place and teach them to never go back inside a building that’s on fire.
Your escape plan should also account for different scenarios, like fires that start in different parts of the house or situations where your primary exit route or meeting place is blocked. When everyone knows exactly what to do and where to go, precious seconds aren't wasted on decision-making during an emergency.
Make fire drills a positive family activity rather than something scary. Keep the mood light and encouraging. Practice your escape routes regularly so everyone becomes familiar with them. Turn it into a game by timing how quickly everyone can get to the meeting place or let children take turns being the "fire safety captain" who reminds everyone of the rules. When they remember the steps and follow the plan, enthusiastically praise them. This helps build their confidence while reinforcing important safety skills.
After discussing fire safety with your children, it's important to provide comfort and reassurance. Young children might feel worried or scared after learning about fire dangers. Help your child understand that while it's important to know about fire safety, house fires don't happen very often.
Let them know that:
Many adults work hard to keep families safe, including firefighters, parents, and other caregivers
The safety steps you're learning together help prevent fires from happening
Knowing what to do helps everyone stay calm and safe
You and other trusted adults are always working to protect them
Create a sense of security:
Answer their questions honestly but in age-appropriate ways.
Let them know that practicing fire safety is like wearing seatbelts—it's a smart way to stay safe.
Remind them that smoke alarms are like helpful friends that watch over the house.
Emphasize that by learning these skills, they're becoming safety helpers too.
As you have these conversations, watch to see if your child seems anxious after fire safety discussions, and provide extra comfort and reassurance. Some children might have trouble sleeping or might express fears about fires. This is normal, and gentle reassurance, along with maintaining normal routines, can help them feel secure again.
Fire safety doesn't have to be scary when approached thoughtfully. The goal is to empower your family with knowledge and skills while maintaining a sense of security and confidence in your home. By creating a fire-safe home environment, teaching age-appropriate skills, and practicing together as a family, you're giving your children valuable tools that will serve them throughout their lives.
For additional resources and support, consider reaching out to your local fire department, which often provides free fire safety education programs for families with young children.
