Fire challenge

Immediate first through second degree burns are the direct results of undergoing the activity.[7][9] One teenager from Kentucky who participated in the challenge described the subsequent pain as "unbearable."[10][11]

In addition to the obvious dangers, many participants run away in panic without dousing the flames first, allowing the oxygen to cause the flames to spread more easily.[12] Another immediate danger is the participants inhaling superheated air, which can then damage the lungs.[12]

The Huffington Post, in response to viewing a video of a youth attempting the challenge:

"We're basically speechless. We hang out with guys who eat lightbulbs, and we're still shocked. Granted, those guys are trained professional performers, where as this appears to be a misguided youth. The scariest part is that he's not the only person who is doing this."[9]

Writing for the Washington Post, Caitlin Dewey noted "YouTube has known its fair share of dangerous, destructive and ill-advised trends, but even by those standards, the "fire challenge" hits new lows."[13]

Multiple local and state fire departments have spoken out against the fire challenge, often citing the significant harm and the unpredictability of fire for their reasoning.[14][15][16]