Ajax Fire and Emergency Services is reminding residents to make fire safety part of their Halloween celebrations ahead of October 31.
The service suggests choosing battery-operated candles or glow sticks instead of traditional candles. Residents using real candles should place them in sturdy, heat-resistant holders, well away from decorations, costumes and walkways used by trick-or-treaters, and extinguish them before leaving a room or going to bed. Candles should not be used in bedrooms, bathrooms or other sleeping areas.
Decorations should be kept away from heat sources such as candles, light bulbs and heaters, and doorways, walkways and exits should stay clear. The service also advises families to talk with children about staying away from open flames, including candles inside carved pumpkins, and to review Stop, Drop and Roll: stop immediately, drop to the ground, cover the face and roll until flames are out.
With clocks turning back around Halloween, the service says it is a good time to replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. As of January 2026, Ontario law requires both smoke and CO alarms on every level of a home and outside all sleeping areas. Every household should also have a home escape plan with a designated outdoor meeting place.
More fire safety information is available through the Town of Ajax at ajax.ca/fire.
Source: Town of Ajax
Source: Town of Ajax
Featured image: illustration, not documentary photography. Illustration created for AllAboutDurham; not a photograph of a real Halloween event or location in Ajax.
