With summer behind us and the Holiday Season ahead, Halloween is quickly approaching, and retailers are preparing for their annual seasonal inventory turnover. Celebrations involving lights and open flames, unfortunately, present an inherent fire risk. Retail store owners—and decision makers in businesses that lean hard into holiday decor—should be aware of the fire risks associated with Halloween, and update their risk management plans accordingly.
Many businesses can stay fire code compliant with a simple inspection of fire safety systems. Others may need to look into more active solutions, like fire watch. We’ve put together this short read to give folks in our network the latest best practices related to Halloween fire safety. Be sure to contact us if fire watch guards are needed on site in the festive days ahead.
Halloween Sees Increased Fire Risk
The NFPA reports that an average of 835 Halloween-related fires occur in the US each year. These incidents have caused deaths, injuries, and millions in damage, and can often be traced to decorations and costumes that ignore fire safety.
Recent headlines highlight that the 2025 Halloween season is already seeing increased fire risks in many parts of the country. One interesting example from South Carolina involves a home display meant to give the impression that the house is on fire. The local fire department was flooded with calls from folks assuming the home was ablaze.
Since many events and marketing displays deployed this time of year involve lights and pyrotechnics, decision-makers should be familiar with local fire codes before proceeding. Even a non-threatening display like the example from South Carolina could draw the attention of the Fire Marshal and result in fines if any aspect is deemed to be noncompliant.
Some Businesses Face Specific Fire Risks in October
Businesses, individuals, or residential organizations that deploy elaborate decorations may brush up against fire code in the weeks ahead. Whether or not you’ll be using lighting displays, open flames, or heating elements, you should nonetheless check on all local fire codes to see if additional precautions like fire watch are needed on-site.
Review your fire codes before Halloween if any of the following are part of your team’s plans:
- Lighting Displays
- Fog Machines
- Candle-Style Effects
- Pyrotechnics and Open Flames
- Haunted Houses
- Theme Parks
- Events of Any Kind
When Is Fire Watch Needed?
Fire watch guards are deployed when built-in fire safety systems suffer an outage, or if “Hot Work” like welding or cutting is done at a location that lacks industrial fire safety tools. Failure to deploy fire watch in these conditions may result in fines, forced evacuations, and complex liabilities for facility owners.
Events that push the limits of a space’s capacity, or that involve pyrotechnics, will also likely require fire watch. Your local fire marshal will make the final determination of whether or not fire watch is needed. During periods of increased risk—like Halloween—authorities are more likely to hold folks to account.
Be proactive: read up on your municipality’s fire codes, and seek out a reliable fire watch provider before guards are needed on site. All too often, fire watch is overlooked when teams develop their risk management plans, leading to last-minute supplier sourcing. By connecting with a reliable provider in advance, you can save time and money while preventing shutdowns and ensuring code compliance.
Prep Your Team for the Weeks Ahead
If Halloween activities, displays, or events are in your team’s future, be sure to plan ahead and follow best practices:
- Assess risk and system status (alarm, sprinkler, suppression)
- Engage AHJ/fire marshal early; get written guidance on required fire watch scope
- Hire or designate trained fire watch personnel if needed, with no conflicting duties
- Define patrol frequency (e.g. every 30 mins, room by room)
- Equip watchers: communication tools, fire extinguishers, emergency contact list
- Document logs (time, observations, corrective actions)
- Coordinate with your fire protection contractor to repair systems promptly, if needed
- Notify occupants & signage if systems are impaired
- Continue fire watch until full system restoration and inspection
Contact National Firewatch
Our team is the premier supplier of same-day fire watch solutions across the United States. We always advise folks to plan ahead, but when you need fire watch guards in a hurry, National Firewatch has you covered. Review your Halloween plans, and be sure to contact us when fire watch is required on-site.