There are drought like conditions in more than half of the states in the United States. That may not mean much unless you are directly affected by a current forest fire but with the Fourth of July just around the corner home fires and safety for families is an important consideration.

Fireworks can cause not only fires especially in drought affected areas but they also offer a safety concern for families with children or teens. The ramifications of sparklers, bottle rockets, discarded matches, and any fireworks display done in your backyard may initiate the sparks that can start a brush fire quite easily.

Tips to prevent fire and promote safety during a fireworks display:

1. Make sure there are adults supervising any sparklers, matches, or fireworks even if you think there is no need to worry. Any type of fireworks material requiring matches or a lighter has the potential to cause a fire, cause a burn, or to backfire and possible cause an injury. Hand and eye injuries are common with home fireworks displays even with the best of caution.

2. Have a metal or nonflammable container for matches, old sparklers, and the resulting trash from a backyard display. Don’t touch these items until they have been cooled with water or until they have been on the ground and cooled naturally. In the dark, it may be hard to tell if debris is hot or could re-ignite. Use caution when cleaning up debris.

3. Adults should be supervising any and all children and teens who are around a backyard fireworks display. Do not leave small children unattended before, during , or after your display. Do not leave matches or lighters within reach of smaller children and keep a hose or water bucket handy for emergencies.

4. Fireworks aside, brush fires and local woods can easily catch on fire without precautions. Don’t flick your match or smoke out the car window or burn trash, have a camp fire, or roast marshmallows outside of a fireproof fire ring. Make a clearing around your campfire or burn pile so sparks cannot travel to dry grassy areas.

5. Keep a shovel and water source close at hand if burning anything outside in areas where there has been little rain. Last but not least, avoid burning on a day with a strong breeze or wind.

Summer is hot enough but when conditions are such that there has been little or no rain, drought like conditions prevail. Practice fire safety at home and during holidays to prevent burns, injuries, or property destruction by fire. Keeping everyone safe during these times should be the safety goal of everyone in the family so begin by teaching children about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.