What to do If a Campfire Gets Out of Control

A campfire should always be planned and supervised so that it remains manageable. However, outdoor conditions can change quickly, and a fire can sometimes become larger or behave differently from expected.

Flames may spread beyond the fire area, burning material may be blown by the wind, or nearby vegetation may catch alight.

Knowing what to do if a campfire gets out of control is an important part of fire safety for Scouts and leaders.

The most important rule is simple: people are more important than the fire.

Nobody should put themselves at risk trying to save equipment or extinguish a fire that has become unsafe.

What Does “Out of Control” Mean?

A campfire doesn’t necessarily have to be a large blaze to be considered out of control.

Warning signs can include:

If the fire is no longer behaving as expected, treat the situation seriously.

Stay Calm

An unexpected fire can cause people to panic.

Leaders should remain calm and give clear instructions.

Shouting contradictory instructions or allowing everyone to rush towards the fire can make the situation worse.

The priority should be to establish control over the people around the fire before attempting to deal with the fire itself.

Move Scouts Away From the Fire

If a campfire becomes unsafe, move Scouts away from the immediate area.

Don’t allow Scouts to gather around the fire to watch what happens.

Move people to a safe location away from flames, smoke and flying embers.

Keep the group together and make sure leaders know where everyone is.

The appropriate safe distance will depend on the situation, particularly if the fire is spreading.

Keep People Upwind Where Possible

Smoke can make it difficult to see and breathe comfortably.

If possible and safe to do so, move people away from the smoke and avoid positioning the group downwind of the fire.

Remember that wind direction can change.

Don’t move people towards another hazard simply to get away from smoke.

The priority is to reach a genuinely safe location.

Stop Adding Fuel

If a fire is becoming too large or difficult to control, don’t add more wood.

Moving additional fuel towards the fire can increase its size and intensity.

Remove people from the immediate fire area and assess the situation.

Do not attempt to reduce the fire by taking burning wood out with your hands.

Assess the Situation

A leader should quickly consider:

Is the fire still contained?

Are people at risk?

Is nearby vegetation burning?

Is the fire spreading?

Are sparks travelling beyond the fire area?

Is there enough appropriate equipment to deal with it safely?

Can the fire still be controlled without putting anyone at risk?

If the answer to the final question is no, don’t attempt to tackle it yourself.

Use Fire-Control Equipment Only When It Is Safe

If the fire remains small enough to control safely, use the appropriate fire-control equipment available for the site and activity.

This might include water or other suitable equipment.

The exact response will depend on the fire and circumstances.

Never use equipment or a method simply because it is available if doing so would put someone in danger.

Don’t Fight a Spreading Fire

Once a fire has escaped the immediate fire area and is spreading through vegetation, the situation can change very quickly.

Do not expect Scouts or untrained people to tackle a spreading wildfire.

Move everyone to safety and contact the emergency services.

A fire that is spreading beyond your ability to control is an emergency.

Call 999 When Necessary

In the UK, call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service when a fire is spreading, cannot be safely controlled or presents a serious risk to people, property or the environment.

Give the emergency operator clear information about:

Follow the operator’s instructions.

If you are on a campsite or managed outdoor site, alert the site management as appropriate as well.

Don’t Put Yourself at Risk

This is one of the most important lessons to teach.

You should never enter an area of dangerous flames, heavy smoke or rapidly spreading fire simply because you feel responsible for putting it out.

Equipment can be replaced.

People cannot.

Once a fire has reached a point where it cannot be safely controlled, getting everyone away from danger becomes the priority.

Don’t Send Scouts Back for Equipment

If the fire threatens camping equipment, don’t send Scouts back to retrieve it.

Tents, rucksacks, cooking equipment and other belongings are not worth risking an injury.

Move people first.

Only consider equipment once the situation has been made safe and it is appropriate to do so.

Keep Others Away

If a fire has escaped its intended area, prevent people from approaching it.

This includes other campers, members of the public and curious Scouts.

If necessary, establish a safe area around the incident and wait for appropriate assistance.

Don’t allow people to stand nearby simply because the flames appear to be small.

Watch for Embers

Wind can carry burning material away from the main fire.

Look for sparks and embers landing in nearby vegetation.

However, don’t chase individual embers into unsafe areas if doing so puts you at risk.

If multiple embers are escaping and starting secondary fires, the situation is no longer a routine campfire problem.

Move away and seek appropriate assistance.

Be Careful With Smoke

Heavy smoke can reduce visibility and make it difficult to breathe.

Don’t walk through a cloud of smoke to reach another part of the campsite.

Move people away from the smoke and follow emergency instructions.

If someone is having difficulty breathing or has been exposed to significant smoke, seek appropriate medical assistance.

What If Clothing Catches Fire?

If a person’s clothing catches fire, the priority is to stop the flames and provide appropriate first aid.

The person should not run, as running can make flames burn more vigorously.

Leaders should know the appropriate emergency response and first-aid procedures before running a fire activity.

If there is any doubt about the severity of an injury, seek medical assistance.

What If Someone Is Burned?

Move the person away from the source of the burn if it is safe to do so.

Cool the burn with cool running water for at least 20 minutes where practical and appropriate.

Remove jewellery, watches or restrictive clothing near the injury if it is not stuck to the skin.

Don’t apply creams, butter or other substances to a fresh burn.

Don’t break blisters.

Seek medical advice for serious burns, extensive burns or burns involving particularly sensitive areas.

For serious injuries or emergencies, call 999.

After the Immediate Danger

Once everyone is safe and the fire is under control or emergency services have taken over, don’t immediately assume the incident is finished.

The surrounding area should be checked for additional burning material or embers when it is safe to do so.

Follow the instructions of the Fire and Rescue Service or site management.

Don’t return to the area until it has been confirmed safe.

Reporting the Incident

A significant fire incident should be recorded and reported through the appropriate procedures for the activity and organisation.

Even if nobody is injured, an uncontrolled fire can provide valuable lessons.

Record what happened, what conditions were present and how the situation was dealt with.

This can help identify changes that could prevent a similar incident in the future.

Learn From What Happened

After the incident, review the activity.

Consider:

Was the fire appropriate for the conditions?

Was the location suitable?

Was the fire too large?

Did the weather change?

Was there enough fire-control equipment?

Was supervision appropriate?

Were the group boundaries clear?

Did everyone know what to do?

The purpose isn’t simply to find someone to blame.

The aim is to improve future safety.

Preventing an Out-of-Control Fire

The best response to an uncontrolled fire is prevention.

Before lighting a fire:

Check whether fires are permitted.

Assess the ground.

Check the weather.

Look at the surrounding vegetation.

Consider wind direction.

Keep tents and equipment away.

Have suitable fire-control arrangements ready.

Keep the fire appropriately sized.

Ensure suitable supervision.

Be prepared to cancel the activity if conditions aren’t right.

Weather Can Change

A fire may be safe when it is first lit but become more difficult to manage later.

Wind can increase.

Dry conditions can worsen.

Rain may stop or start.

The fire itself can become larger as more fuel is added.

Keep monitoring conditions throughout the activity.

Don’t assume that because the fire was safe ten minutes ago, it will remain safe for the rest of the evening.

Don’t Wait Until It Is Too Late

One of the most useful leadership skills is recognising when to act early.

If the fire is becoming difficult to manage, stop adding fuel and consider extinguishing it while it is still under control.

Waiting until flames have spread or embers are being carried away makes the situation much more difficult.

There is nothing wrong with ending a campfire early.

Teaching Scouts About Emergencies

Scouts can be taught what to do without putting them through unnecessary danger.

Make sure they understand:

Move away from an unsafe fire.

Listen to the leader.

Don’t try to retrieve equipment.

Don’t attempt to tackle a spreading fire.

Tell an adult immediately if something catches fire.

Call for emergency help when instructed.

These simple actions can make a significant difference during an emergency.

A Simple Emergency Plan

Before a fire activity, leaders should know:

Where the group will move if there is an emergency.

How the emergency services can access the site.

Where the nearest suitable first-aid equipment is located.

How to contact emergency services.

Who will supervise the Scouts while another leader deals with the emergency.

Having these details worked out beforehand is much easier than trying to make decisions during a crisis.

Final Thought for Leaders

An uncontrolled fire can become frightening very quickly, but good preparation can make a major difference.

The most important thing is to remember that the fire is never more important than the people around it.

Teach Scouts to recognise problems early, move away when instructed and tell an adult immediately.

For leaders, the key is knowing when a fire can still be safely managed and when the correct decision is to step back, get everyone to safety and call for professional help.