‘It’s puzzling’: Edmonton doctor concerned by growing number of children with campfire burns

In the last three months, Dr. Edward Tredget has treated nine children with campfire or lantern burns at the University of Alberta Hospital’s burn unit.

“One child has died,” he says. “One child was a 50 per cent total surface body injury. Two others – including a girl – badly burned face, body and chest. They’ll live with those scars all their life.”

“There’s another one in clinic right now that backed into a firepit that’s 18 months old,” Tredget adds.

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Dr. Tredget, who has worked at the hospital for nearly 30 years, says the cases are double what he’s seen in past years but he can’t put his finger on why.

The injured children range in age from 18 months to 13 years. The majority of the burns have resulted from the use of accelerants, like gasoline.

“Some of the real tough cases we’ve had have been young children…who get near gasoline and fires and have somehow been able to get their hands on these accelerants and cause fires,” Tredget says.

The problem appears to be isolated to central and northern Alberta. Global News contacted the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary and the BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. None of the hospitals have experienced a spike in the number of child campfire injuries in recent weeks.

READ MORE: Preventing injury around the campfire: Safety tips for summer campers

Dr. Tredget wonders if people are trying to light fires using wet wood so they turn to accelerants for help.

“I have no idea, actually. It’s puzzling,” he says.

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Colton Rhyason runs the Outdoor Adventure Kids camp at Edmonton’s Rainbow Valley campground. The camp itinerary includes a lesson in campfire safety. Rhyason says he would never recommend dumping gasoline or an accelerant on a fire.

WATCH: Think before you spark that long weekend campfire

“If you have a lit fire and you’re pouring gas on it, the fire can travel up into what you’re pouring it in and light everything on fire,” Rhyason said. “I don’t consider it a valid way of lighting a fire.”

In its list of campfire safety tips, Alberta Parks doesn’t recommend using gasoline either.

Dr. Tredget says summer always brings new outdoor activities and environments for kids and parents need to be extra cautious. He says the injured children he’s helped require multiple operations and then follow ups for reconstruction.

“It’s a momentary mistake that leads to a lifetime of difficulty,” Tredget says.

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