Official websites use .gov

A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A **lock** () or **https://** means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Skip to main content

Visit the U.S. Fire Administration homepage

HotelsLibraryPublicationsBlogImage GalleryPodcastsAboutContact

            - Fire Academy - Courses
- Programs
- Admissions
- On-Campus Students
- About
- 
- Fire Academy Home

            - NFIRS - eNFIRS Applications
- Documentation
- Training
- Coding Help
- Reporting Guidelines
- Vendor Information
- Data Quality
- Access Data
- About NFIRS
- NERIS
- 
- NFIRS Home

            - Prevention - Home Fires
- Arson & Youth Firesetting
- Hotels & Vacation Rentals
- Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
- Vehicle Fires
- Workplace Fires
- Life Safety Hazards
- Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
- Fire Prevention Officials
- 
- Fire Prevention Home

            - Statistics - Reports
- Death & Injury Risk
- Residential Fires
- Nonresidential Fires
- Outside & Vehicle Fires
- Firefighter Fatalities
- Fire Department Registry
- State Statistics
- Data Sets
- 
- Statistics Home

            - EMS
            - Wildfire - Training
- Cohesive Strategy
- Fire-Adapted Communities
- Outreach Materials
- Healthy Landscapes
- Data
- Research & Technology
- Wildfire & WUI Blog
- 
- Wildfire Home

            - A-Z Index
            - 

- Fire Academy... - Overview
- Courses
- Programs
- Admissions
- Campus Life
- About

- NFIRS... - Overview
- eNFIRS Applications
- Documentation
- Training
- Coding Help
- Reporting Guidelines
- Vendor Information
- Data Quality
- Access Data
- About NFIRS
- NERIS

- Fire Prevention... - Overview
- Home Fires
- Arson & Youth Firesetting
- Hotels & Vacation Rentals
- Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
- Vehicle Fires
- Workplace Fires
- Life Safety Hazards
- Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
- Fire Prevention Officials

- Statistics... - Overview
- Reports
- Death & Injury Risk
- Residential Fires
- Nonresidential Fires
- Outside & Vehicle Fires
- Firefighter Fatalities
- Fire Department List
- State Statistics
- Data Sets

- EMS
- Wildfire... - Overview
- Training
- Cohesive Strategy
- Fire-Adapted Communities
- Outreach Materials
- Data
- Research & Technology
- Wildfire & WUI Blog

- A-Z Index

            - Hotels
            - Library
            - Publications
            - Blog
            - Image Gallery
            - Podcasts
            - About
            - Contact

- Home
- Prevention
- Arson

# Youth Firesetting

      - Share on:
      - 
      - 
      - 

##### In this section

                - Home Fires
                - Arson & Youth Firesetting                   - Protect Homes
                  - Construction Sites
                  - Houses of Worship
                  - Vacant Buildings
                  - Youth Firesetting
                - Hotels & Vacation Rentals
                - Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
                - Vehicle Fires
                - Workplace Fires
                - Life Safety Hazards
                - Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
                - Fire Prevention Officials
                - CRR Blog

Children are often curious about fire. While curiosity is normal, there are things you can inform parents and caregivers about to prevent children from experimenting with fire.

Did you know:

Youth firesetting motives may result from several factors, including curiosity, experimentation, a cry for help, thrill-seeking, willful intent to cause destruction, and mental or emotional disorders.

##  Messages to share with parents and caregivers

### Teach children

Teach children that fire is dangerous. Only adults should use matches and lighters.

Teach children that fire is dangerous. Even small fires can spread very quickly.

Teach children that fire is dangerous. Fire is a tool, not a toy, and must only be used by adults.

### Make your home safer

Make your home safer by inspecting it for fire hazards.

Make your home safer by keeping lighters and matches away from children.

Make your home safer by supervising children.

Make your home safer by having working smoke alarms on every level and inside and outside all sleeping areas.

Make your home safer by planning and practicing your home fire escape plan.

## Social media graphics and stock photos 

----

## Pictographs 

Pictographs can help overcome literacy barriers by communicating messages with pictures. Our pictographs will help you to communicate fire safety messages to high-risk populations.

----

## Handouts

              -  English PDF

Customize with your logo
              -  English PDF

### More youth firesetting mitigation resources

#### Free trainingNational Fire Academy

On- and off-campus courses provide learning opportunities for youth firesetting intervention specialists and program managers to mitigate firesetting behaviors.

#### Other suggested resources

#### Free webinarUnderstanding and Mitigating Youth Firesetting Issues: A Guide to Success

This presentation shares current best practices and tips to prevent and mitigate youth firesetting in communities across the country.

Page last reviewed: May 24, 2023

Be prepared.Be informed.Be safe.

            - 
            - 
            - 
            - 
            - 

Contact USFA

Information for
                - College/university educators
                - On-campus students
                - Off-campus students
                - Online students
                - NFA instructors
                - Public information officers

                - Public fire educators
                - Researchers
                - State training officials
                - Volunteer fire service
                - Wildland firefighters

About USFA
            - Leadership
            - Events
            - Position statements
            - Strategic plan
            - Job announcements
            - Send us your photos
            - Doing business with us
            - Subscribe to email lists

----

16825 S. Seton Ave.Emmitsburg, MD21727USA

800-238-3358

 Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®

USFA.FEMA.govAn official website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

          - Accessibility
          - Accountability
          - Careers
          - Civil Rights
          - Contact FEMA

          - FOIA
          - Glossary
          - No FEAR Act
          - Plug-Ins
          - Privacy

          - Report Disaster Fraud
          - Website Information
          - DHS.gov
          - USA.gov
          - Inspector General

Current Advisories