Juvenile firesetting has been identified as the fastest growing fire threat in the United States. Annual statistics show that more than 300 people are killed and nearly one-billion dollars in property is destroyed by fires set by children.

Children and Fire can be a Deadly Combination - The Facts

• Nearly eighty-five percent of the victims of child-set fires are the children themselves.
• Nationally, playing with fire is the leading cause of death in residential fires for young children.
• At home, children often play with fire in the bedroom.
• Older children frequently play with fire outside the home, at the bus stop or in vacant lots.
• Children are under the false impression that they can control the fires they set.
• Many children who set fires lack both parental supervision and fire safety education.
• Juveniles account for more than 50 percent of all arson arrests in the United States.
• Nationally, children who play with fire cause nearly 80,000 structure fires per year which result in approximately 300 deaths and more than 3,500 injuries.
• Juvenile firesetting does an estimated one billion dollars in damage annually.
• It only takes about two minutes for the flame from a single match to set an entire room on fire, and less than five minutes for that fire to overtake the entire house.

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District helps children and their families through its Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Program. Participants will be interviewed by specially trained staff to assess the juvenile's firesetting behavior. Once the interview is complete the youth will be sent home with assignments designed to teach and reinforce fire safety. When the assignments have been completed the juvenile will return for additional education on burn prevention. If you have noticed dangerous firesetting behavior in your child contact us at (925) 838-6600.