Overview
- Families are urged to replace candles with battery-powered or LED lights in pumpkins and decorations to reduce the risk of ignition.
- Parents should check costumes for UKCA, CE or EN71-2 markings, buy from reputable retailers and look for BRC additional flammability testing labels to avoid unsafe or counterfeit items.
- Fire services report that flowing outfits such as capes and plastic materials can catch and spread flames rapidly, with tests showing engulfment in as little as nine seconds.
- Safety guidance includes keeping open flames out of children’s reach, teaching stop, drop and roll, and layering clothing under costumes for extra protection.
- Dorset and Wiltshire, Hereford and Worcester, and County Durham and Darlington services issued coordinated alerts on Oct. 30–31 highlighting costume flammability and safer alternatives to naked flames.