But burns experts say we need to keep in mind that campfires can pose a significant safety risk, especially if you extinguish the fire by putting it out with sand or dirt.
The warning comes as many of us head off on autumn school holidays, a popular time for camping trips but also a peak time for burns in children.
While campfires obviously pose a risk when they are being lit or as they are blazing, we tend not be aware of the risk they pose after they've been extinguished. Especially if you simply smother your campfire with dirt or sand and then head off to bed.
But the smothered coals can remain hot enough to give a child a deep burn even 24 hours later, says Professor Roy Kimble, head of burns and trauma at Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in Brisbane.
The next day, if children start playing in the sand mound where the fire has been they can get burns bad enough for them to lose fingers or toes — and they only have to be in contact with the hot coals for less than a second.
"Building a campfire is an iconic thing and we don't want to discourage that. We just want it done safely," Professor Kimble said.
"The only safe way to extinguish a campfire is to put it out with water. It will be harmless in about 10 minutes.
"But if you let it go out by itself or put sand or dirt over it, it actually takes an incredible amount of time to cool down. It's still really hot 24 hours later."
Know what your kids are doing
Flammable liquids are another common source of burns in holiday periods, Professor Kimble said.
Parents need to know what their children were doing because older children, particularly boys, often "get bored and start playing with things like petrol of methylated spirits".
They often had a "fascination with fire" and liked to use flammable liquids to start fires or enhance the flames.
"It's boys being boys," he said.
Burns sustained in this way tended to be very serious because flaming clothes were in contact with large areas of skin and for long periods, he said.
Motorbikes ridden by children on rural properties could also cause nasty burns because often the guard over the exhaust pipe has been removed.
"The child falls over, the bike lands on top of them, they're wearing shorts and we see awful burns to especially the legs, where the bike's been lying on them and basically it fries part of the leg. They usually require skin grafts," Professor Kimble said.
Instant noodle, hair straightener, hot drink burn risks
You don't have to be having outdoor adventures for burns to occur unexpectedly.
One trend that's been noted in recent years is an increase in scalds to children eating instant hot noodles, which are prepared in boiling water.
Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney reported a 32 per cent increase in childhood burns caused by these products between 2005 and 2010, according to research published in the journal Burns.
The products can be "dangerously hot" when prepared according to the manufacturer's directions, yet insulated containers could feel misleadingly cool, the authors said.
Professor Kimble said children tend to eat hot noodles from containers in their laps while they're watching TV or playing a video game.
"The bowl tips and can burn their entire groin," he said.
Care also needs to be taken with pot belly fireplaces and glass fronted heaters. When there are no safety guards around these heaters, toddlers frequently burn their hands touching them.
Items like irons, hair straighteners and stove hot plates are also ongoing risks, while scalds from hot drinks are the biggest source of childhood burns year round.
"Parents don't think and leave hot drinks where young kids can grab them and tip them on themselves. Children are curious and they can move very fast," Professor Kimble said.
Burn first aid: cold running water
If you or a child do sustain a burn, research has shown the best first aid is cold running water for 20 minutes. This can be done up to three hours after the burn.
While this may seem inconvenient, it is "really helpful", according to Professor Kimble.
"It may even make the difference between requiring a skin graft or not requiring a skin graft. It reduces the depth of the burn," he said.
You should not put butter, toothpaste, oil or any other product on a burn as it may cause infection and will not help the burn heal. And you should not apply ice either.
"Our studies have shown ice has no advantage in decreasing the depth of the burn," he said.
If you are in a location that does not have access to cold running water, putting the burnt area (say a hand or foot) in a container of cold water is the next best thing.
The fact cold water reduces pain is important too, because research by Professor Kimble's team has shown relieving pain promotes healing, regardless of the severity of the burn.
But prevention is always the best approach.
"All you have to do is stop one major burn from happening, and not only do you change the entire life of one child and their family but you've also saved the health service somewhere between $1 million and $2 million," he said.
"Treating burns is very expensive and the smaller you are, the more reconstructive surgery you need."
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