Central Mat-Su firefighters will hand out free reflective treat bags Saturday

Central Mat-Su Fire Department will hand out free reflective treat bags Saturday, Oct. 31, at Halloween safety open houses at five fire stations, from 1 to 7 pm.

One is in Palmer: Station 51, 1911 S. Terrace Court. Four are in Wasilla: Station 61, 101 W. Swanson Ave.; Station 62, 4568 S. Knik Goose Bay Road; Station 63, 11021 W. Horizon Drive; and Station 65, 680 N. Seward Meridian Parkway.

"Carry your reflective treat bag and flashlight so drivers can see you," the department's flyer says.

The flyer also suggests bright, reflective, flame-resistant costumes that fit well. Kids should stay with a responsible adult, use sidewalks and crosswalks, and wait for an adult to check their treats before eating them.

At home, it says, keep decorations away from open flames, heaters and light bulbs, put battery-powered lights in pumpkins, keep escape routes clear, and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Girdwood Fire and Rescue is also urging residents to use battery-operated candles. Candles started about one-third of U.S. home decoration fires from 2020 to 2024, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Nearly half of those decoration fires happened because decorations were too close to a heat source.

Other fire departments are celebrating, too. The Ester Volunteer Fire Department holds a free Halloween festival Saturday from 4 to 6 pm. In Kodiak, the fire department runs a haunted house at the Old Kodiak Firehouse on Friday from 4 to 8 pm and Saturday from 4 to 7 pm. Admission is nonperishable food for the local food bank.