Some are involved in gangs or see starting fires as a gateway to experimenting with explosives, said Don Porth, director of public education for the Portland, Ore., Fire Bureau who also heads SOS Fires. The latter is a national nonprofit group that provides arson education advice and helps establish youth awareness programs. The candles reignite after they're blown out, and about two days after his party, the child wanted to see them in action again. It relit and burned the kitchen off the house. In recent years, however, more boys and girls have turned to fire to express themselves about issues they don't know how to resolve.
Children understand fire as a weapon.
It's not demonstrated that a match is a tool and needs to be respected. Unfortunately, many parents don't understand this, either. The National Fire Safety Council in Michigan Center, Mich., estimates that only 10 percent of the fires started by children are reported to the authorities. Family members extinguish the fires and keep quiet, either because they dismiss fire setting as a normal phase the child will outgrow or fear possible criminal charges or the stigma of seeking psychiatric help. Even caregivers who instruct children in fire safety often send mixed messages, like the barbecuing father who gets a kick out of using a lot of lighter fluid, or the smokers who light up in times of stress.