Last updated: 25 October 2026.

Quick answer: children should not handle firecrackers. In past Tihar seasons Nepal Police has arrested people for carrying and transporting firecrackers, so do not assume they are allowed. We found no 2026 police notice when we checked, so ask Nepal Police (100) or your local ward office before buying anything. Tihar 2026 runs from Saturday 7 November to Bhai Tika on Wednesday 11 November.

Tihar, Nepal's festival of lights, is a time for diyo, marigold garlands, rangoli, Laxmi Puja, Deusi-Bhailo and Bhai Tika. It is also a season when children are near oil lamps, crowded lanes and, in some places, firecrackers. This guide gives parents in Nepal 12 safety tips, what the authorities have done in past years, burn first aid and firework-free ideas for a happy Tihar.

Sources checked on 25 October 2026: Nepal Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs 2083 holiday list, AboutKidsHealth from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the Canadian Red Cross.

Why firecracker safety matters for children

Firecrackers are explosives. They can cause burns to the hands and face, eye injuries from sparks and debris, hearing damage, and fires in clothes, decorations and buildings. AboutKidsHealth notes that fireworks cause very serious burns every year that can lead to permanent scars. Children are curious, move quickly and may go back to a firecracker that seems to have gone out.

In many Nepali towns, homes, courtyards and lanes are close together, so a firecracker can also endanger neighbours, older people and animals. No firecracker is completely safe for children.

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What Nepal Police and the law say

Nepal's explosives law controls explosive substances. We could not open the Explosives Act on the Nepal Law Commission website when we checked, so we do not quote it here. What we could check is the Nepal Police news feed:

  • During Tihar 2023 (Kartik 2080), police reported arrests in Tanahun and Kathmandu of people carrying thousands of firecrackers, and the Tanahun case was taken to the district court as an explosive-substance offence.
  • During Tihar 2024 (Kartik 2081), police in Kailali reported an arrest of a driver carrying firecrackers in a car.
  • Up to 24 October 2026 (Kartik 7, 2083), we found no 2026 police notice about firecrackers in the same feed.

These are past cases, not a 2026 order. Rules and enforcement can change each year, so ask Nepal Police or your local ward office about the current position before Tihar. Never buy firecrackers from informal sellers or bring them across the border.

12 firecracker safety tips for parents in Nepal

1. Never give firecrackers to children

Firecrackers are not toys. Keep children away from firecrackers, matches and lighters, and explain that they must never pick up, light, throw or examine one.

2. Treat sparklers as real fireworks

  • No sparklers for children under five (AboutKidsHealth).
  • Never leave a child alone with a sparkler, as they may burn themselves or their clothes may catch fire (AboutKidsHealth).
  • Drop finished sparklers into a bucket of water and keep children away from used wires.
  • LED wands, glow sticks and battery diyas are safer for young children.

3. Check the current position before Tihar

Ask Nepal Police, your ward office or your District Administration Office about any 2026 notice. Do not assume a firecracker is allowed because a shop or street seller has it.

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4. Choose traditional Tihar celebrations

Laxmi Puja, diyo, rangoli, marigold garlands, Deusi-Bhailo, sel roti and Bhai Tika carry the meaning of Tihar without any explosives.

5. Keep children well away from firecracker activity

If others are setting off firecrackers, move children away. AboutKidsHealth advises that children and other viewers should stay at least 20 metres (about 50 feet) away when fireworks are lit.

6. Keep flames away from flowers, paper and fabric

  • Put diyo on stable, non-flammable surfaces, away from curtains, paper decorations and dry leaves.
  • Never leave lamps or candles unattended.
  • Keep matches and lighters out of reach.
  • Check electric lights and wiring for damage, and use battery diyas where open flames are hard to watch.

7. Protect eyes and ears

Do not let children inspect or collect firecracker remains. Take children who dislike loud bangs somewhere quieter, and get urgent medical help for any eye injury.

8. Dress children safely

Avoid loose sleeves, long scarves and dupattas near diyo, tie back long hair, and never let children carry matches, lighters or firecrackers in their pockets.

9. Make Deusi-Bhailo safe

  • Supervise younger children and choose familiar, well-lit routes.
  • Keep groups away from traffic and from places where firecrackers are being used.
  • Carry a charged phone and agree a time to come home.
  • Follow any local rules on gatherings and noise.

10. Protect pets and noise-sensitive children

Tihar honours dogs on Kukur Tihar, so be gentle with animals and keep pets indoors when there are loud bangs nearby. Give babies and children who find noise hard a quiet room.

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11. Never go back to a dud

A firecracker that has not gone off can still explode. Children must never touch, pick up, take apart or relight it. Keep everyone away and call Nepal Police on 100 for advice.

12. Teach children what to do in an emergency

Teach children to move away from danger, tell an adult, stay away from smoke and flames, and ask for help if someone is hurt. Make sure older children know that Nepal Police is 100, and save the numbers for your nearest fire service, ambulance and hospital.

Burn first aid for children: 5 steps

This is general first aid from AboutKidsHealth (SickKids) and the Canadian Red Cross, not medical advice for your child. If in doubt, get help.

  1. Stop the burning. If clothing catches fire, teach the child to stop, drop and roll. Move them away from the heat and remove clothing near the burn, but not anything stuck to the skin.
  2. Cool the burn with clean, cool running water. The Canadian Red Cross says for at least 10 minutes; AboutKidsHealth suggests about 20 minutes with room-temperature running water. If there is no running water, use clean, cool, wet cloths.
  3. Do not use ice, butter, toothpaste, oils or creams, and do not break blisters.
  4. Cover the burn lightly with a clean, dry cloth or gauze dressing.
  5. Get medical help quickly for a serious burn or any burn on the face, hands, feet or groin, and for eye injuries or breathing problems. AboutKidsHealth says a health-care provider should check even a small burn within 72 hours.

Firework-free ways to celebrate Tihar with children

  • Light diyo and electric lights together, with an adult handling the flames.
  • Hold a family rangoli competition and paint Laxmi's footprints from the door to the puja corner.
  • Join Laxmi Puja on Sunday 8 November and explain the meaning of the festival.
  • Feed crows on Kag Tihar, and garland dogs and cows gently on Kukur and Gai Tihar.
  • Make sel roti and sweets together, with children kept away from the hot oil.
  • Sing Deusi-Bhailo with adults on a safe, familiar route.
  • Celebrate Bhai Tika on Wednesday 11 November with siblings and cousins.
  • Use glow sticks and LED lights instead of sparklers for younger children.

Read our Tihar 2026 guide for the five days and holiday dates, our Bhai Dooj and Bhai Tika guide, and ideas for an eco-friendly, cracker-free Diwali.

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Parents' Tihar safety checklist

  1. I have asked Nepal Police or my ward office about any 2026 firecracker notice.
  2. Firecrackers, matches and lighters are out of children's reach.
  3. Young children have LED lights or glow sticks, not sparklers.
  4. Diyo and candles are on stable surfaces, away from flowers, paper and curtains.
  5. An adult watches children around flames and in the kitchen.
  6. Children will stay well away from any firecracker activity and debris.
  7. Deusi-Bhailo routes are familiar, well lit and away from traffic.
  8. Pets and noise-sensitive children have a quiet indoor space.
  9. A bucket of water is ready wherever lamps are lit.
  10. I know the burn first aid steps, and 100 and my local fire, ambulance and hospital numbers are saved in my phone.

Frequently asked questions

Do not assume they are. Nepal Police news reports from past Tihar seasons describe arrests of people carrying or transporting firecrackers, with cases filed as explosive-substance offences. We found no 2026 police notice when we checked on 25 October 2026, and we could not open the Explosives Act on the Nepal Law Commission website, so check with Nepal Police or your local ward office before buying or using anything.

Can children use firecrackers or sparklers during Tihar?

Children should not handle firecrackers. Sparklers burn very hot: AboutKidsHealth (SickKids) advises that children under five should not use them and that no child should be left alone with one. LED diyas, glow sticks, rangoli and Deusi-Bhailo are safer ways to enjoy the festival.

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What should I do if I find an unexploded firecracker?

Do not touch, pick up, take apart or relight it. Keep children away and call Nepal Police on 100 for advice, especially if the item looks unusual.

What should I do if a firecracker burns my child?

Move the child away from the danger and cool the burn with clean, cool running water. The Canadian Red Cross says at least 10 minutes; AboutKidsHealth suggests about 20 minutes with room-temperature running water. Do not use ice, butter, toothpaste or creams, cover the burn loosely with a clean cloth, and get medical help quickly. A health-care provider should check even a small burn within 72 hours.

What emergency numbers should I know in Nepal?

Nepal Police lists 100 as its police control number. Fire and ambulance numbers can differ by area and network, so save the numbers for your nearest fire station, ambulance service and hospital, and ask your ward office or Nepal Police if you are unsure.

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When is Tihar 2026?

Tihar runs from Kag Tihar on Saturday 7 November to Bhai Tika on Wednesday 11 November 2026, with Kukur Tihar and Laxmi Puja on Sunday 8 November. The Ministry of Home Affairs lists the Tihar public holiday from 8 to 12 November.

How can children enjoy Tihar without firecrackers?

They can make rangoli, help with Laxmi Puja, sing Deusi-Bhailo with adults, feed and garland animals gently on Kukur and Gai Tihar, help make sel roti, and celebrate Bhai Tika with siblings and cousins.

Final thoughts

Tihar celebrates light, gratitude to animals and the bond between brothers and sisters. With adults in charge of every flame, children away from firecrackers and a clear check of the current rules, families can enjoy the festival safely. This Tihar, let the diyo shine, the songs fill the neighbourhood, and children's safety come first.

Editor's note (25 October 2026): Police information comes from the Nepal Police website, checked on 25 October 2026; the arrests described are from past years and are not a 2026 order. We could not open the Explosives Act on the Nepal Law Commission website or an official list of fire and ambulance numbers, so we ask you to confirm these with Nepal Police or your ward office. Burn first aid follows AboutKidsHealth (SickKids) and the Canadian Red Cross. Tihar dates follow our Tihar 2026 guide and the Ministry of Home Affairs holiday list.

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Official sources: Nepal Police; Nepal Police: latest news; Ministry of Home Affairs: public holidays 2083; AboutKidsHealth: Burn prevention: campfires, fire pits and fireworks; AboutKidsHealth: Burns first aid; Canadian Red Cross: How to treat summer injuries, part two.

Disclaimer: This article is general safety information for parents, not legal or medical advice. Rules on firecrackers can change, and local authorities may issue new restrictions. In an emergency, call Nepal Police on 100 or go to the nearest health facility.

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