
Burns first aid
Whakarauora pāhunutanga
All burns need immediate first aid.
If the person is seriously injured or not responding, call 111 for an ambulance.
Stop the burning and make things safe.
- For burns caused by a fire: put the fire out.
Stop, drop and roll the person on the ground until the fire is out.
If the fire is in a pot on the stove, remove it from the heat and cover it with something like a lid or chopping board. Do not try to carry it outside.
- For electrical burns: turn the current off.
- For scalding water burns: remove any clothing near the burned area of skin. DO NOT try to remove anything that is stuck to the burned skin.
- For chemical burns: remove whatever is causing the burn.
For most chemical burns (except if it involves an elemental metal as described below), immediately run water over the burn. Keep running water over it until a health professional tells you to stop.
If the burn involves an elemental metal (lithium, potassium, sodium or magnesium) do not run water over it. Water can cause a chemical reaction that makes the burn worse. In this case soak the burn with mineral oil if available while waiting for medical attention.
If you work with chemicals, your workplace may have a management plan for exposure to certain chemicals.
Cool the burn for 20 minutes
This stops the burn doing more damage and helps the pain. If possible, do this immediately (after making sure the area is safe and calling for help if needed). You can start this up to 3 hours after the injury.
- Put the burn under running, cold tap water for 20 minutes. Standing under a cold shower will help if the burn is on your back.
- Do not use ice or iced water.
- If water is not available, soak the area in a cool, clean liquid or use a burn gel. Do not use oils, as they can keep the heat in.
- Keep the person warm to prevent hypothermia. Tamariki (children) under 1 year old do not shiver, so pay particular attention to keeping them warm.
- Remove any clothing over the burn. DO NOT try to remove anything that is stuck to the burned skin.
- Remove any jewellery and watches before the area swells.
Cover the burn
This helps to prevent infection and decrease pain.
- Use a clean, non-stick dressing or cling wrap (like Glad Wrap). If you do not have these, use a clean, non-fluffy covering like a sheet. Make sure the covering is loose, as the burned area may swell. If the covering is too tight, it will cut off circulation.
- If you use a dressing, keep it in place with loose cling wrap or a loose bandage.
- If the burn is to an arm or leg, keep it raised to reduce swelling.
- If the burn is on the face or neck, keep the person upright rather than lying down.
Further treatment
Further treatment of burns depends on what has caused them and whether they are considered major or minor.
Major burns may include:
- A burn that is bigger than the size of your palm. Or one that goes the whole way around part of the body, such as an arm, leg or neck. This is serious.
- A burn to the face, hands, feet, genitals, joints or eyes. This needs special care.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
KidsHealth – First aid for burns & scaldsInformation about burn first aid in tamariki.
St John – BurnsFirst aid and more information about how to help someone who has been burned. Includes information about chemical burns and burns involving the mouth or throat.
On the next page: Minor burns
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed October 2024.
Sources
The information in this section comes from the following sources, some of which may be clinically complex or not available to the general public
ACC Burns poster. Ref 4304.
Australian & New Zealand Burn Association – First aid (https://anzba.org.au/care/first-aid/).
Victorian Burns Prevention Partnership – First aid for minor burns and scalds (http://vbpp.org.au/community-information/first-aid-for-minor-burns-and-scalds, retrieved September 2016).
National Burn Centre – Patient & family information booklet.
Image and embedded video sources
Illustration of the different types of burn from FreeDigitalPhotos. June 2017.
Image of someone about to lift a pot of hot water off a stove from Shutterstock (image ID 786060145). September 2024.
Page reference: 101208
Review key: HIBUR-30143