Halloween Fire Safety Guide | Stay Safe This Halloween

Staying Safe This Halloween: A Fire Safety Guide

Halloween is a night of spooky fun, but it’s also a night when fire risks go up because of costumes, candles, decorations and darkness. With a little planning and awareness, you can make sure your Halloween is scary in all the right ways, not because of accidents.

Below is our practical guide to Halloween fire safety.

Why fire safety matters at Halloween

Many Halloween costumes, decorations and carved pumpkins use flammable materials or open flames, creating extra risk.

Fire services in the UK often issue warnings around Halloween to remind people to use battery lights instead of candles, check costumes, and keep exits clear.

According to a survey by Saga, Halloween is the second-most hazardous holiday for house fires in the UK, behind Bonfire Night.

Key Fire Safety Tips for Halloween

Here are some of our top tips to keep the risks down and the fun up! At Logic we like ‘safe’ and ‘fun’…

1. Choose your costumes wisely

Look for UKCA or CE markings to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Avoid costumes with long trailing fabric, capes, or overly loose sleeves that could brush against candles or other heat sources.
If making your own costume, avoid highly flammable materials (e.g. loosely woven fabrics, cotton wool, etc.).
Consider layering (e.g. wearing a woollen base layer) so if outer layer ignites you have some protection.

2. Use safer lighting, avoid naked flames

Replace real candles in pumpkins or lanterns with battery-operated LED candles (choose ones with a safety kite mark).
If you must use real candles, place them in stable, heat-resistant holders, away from flammable materials (curtains, paper, costumes).
Always extinguish candles when leaving a room or going to bed.
Keep decorations, paper, fabrics, and other combustibles a safe distance from light sources and heat.

3. Plan your decorations and layout carefully

Place decorations so they do not block escape routes (corridors, doorways, exits).
Inspect all electrical decorations (lights, wires, plug-in décor). Discard or repair any with fraying or damage. Avoid overloading sockets or extension leads.
Keep flameless décor where possible, especially in areas where children move about.
Be cautious of draughts or open windows, a gust can knock over candles or cause flames to spread.

4. Teach and rehearse “Stop, Drop & Roll”

If clothing should catch fire:

Stop: freeze in place; don’t run
Drop: go to the floor
Roll: roll over and over until flames are out and cover mouth and eyes with your hands if possible.

Practice it with your children so it’s instinctive.

5. Trick-or-treating safety & visibility

Don’t let children carry real candles while walking the streets. Use torches or LED alternatives.
Make costumes or treat bags more visible by adding reflective tape or using glow sticks, especially since evenings are dark.
Walk (don’t run), cross roads safely, use pavements, and make sure younger children are supervised.

6. Be cautious with fireworks and sparklers

Although fireworks are more often associated with Bonfire Night, some people use them or sparklers as part of Halloween. If so, follow UK law and safety rules:

Only buy fireworks when legally on sale (mid-October to November) and from reputable suppliers.
Use fireworks outdoors in clear spaces, stand well back, light one at a time, and never relight a dud.
Sparklers burn extremely hot (up to 2,000 °C). Do not give them to children under five. Wear gloves, and once done, place them in water to cool.
Be aware of local noise / time restrictions on fireworks (you could get fined for lighting them outside permitted hours). Wikipedia

7. Check and test your smoke alarms & fire precautions

Make sure you have a working smoke alarm on every floor of your home; test them before Halloween night.
Replace batteries or the whole unit if necessary.
Familiarise everyone in your household with escape routes. During Halloween, clutter from decorations can block exits – keep them clear.

Sample Halloween Fire Safety Plan (for your home)

Below is a simple plan you can adapt for your property:

Step	Action
1	Walk through your home as if you’re a guest — check all escape routes, ensure no decorations block doors/windows
2	Choose locations for pumpkins & lanterns where they won’t be knocked over or near fabrics
3	Check all electrical decorations & plugs; remove faulty ones
4	Place LED candles or battery lights in key spots
5	Remind everyone of “Stop, Drop & Roll” and practice briefly
6	Identify a meeting point outside in case everyone has to evacuate
7	During the evening, ensure candles are extinguished before bedtime or stepping out

What to do in case of a fire

Dial 999 and ask for the fire & rescue service immediately.
If fire breaks out indoors, use your escape plan calmly and quickly.
Do not re-enter the building once out.
If clothes catch fire, use Stop, Drop & Roll immediately.
Treat minor burns with cool (not icy) running water; for more serious burns, seek medical attention.

Our Final thoughts

Halloween is a great chance for creativity, fun and spooky excitement. But by taking some straightforward precautions, checking costumes, avoiding naked flames, keeping exits clear, and making sure you have working smoke alarms, you can enjoy a safe Halloween with less risk. The trick is: scare them with ghosts, not fires.

If you need any help or advice, please get in touch.