International Firewalk Day Date in the current year: April 6, 2024

Firewalking is the practice of walking barefoot over hot embers or stones. It has a history spanning over more than three millennia and has been practiced by many cultures around the globe as a rite of passage, a proof of faith, a test of courage and strength, or a ritual of healing. Over the past few decides, there has been a resurgence of interest in firewalking. A new generation of fire walkers see the practice as a way to face their fears and embrace the transformational power of fire.

The act of walking barefoot over hot coals may seem like a miracle, but it has a scientific explanation. When a firewalk is performed properly, the layer of ash over the coals and their poor thermal conductivity protect the walker’s feet from getting burned. This is the case when the expression “confidence is key” is not just a cliché: the confident walk of fire walkers helps them protect their feet.

To keep their feet from getting burned, fire walkers have to step flat-footed on the bed of coals and walk relatively slowly but steadily without pausing. This way, they don’t stay on the embers long enough for their thermal conductivity to catch up. A person may burn their feet if they remain on the embers too long, attempt to run, or have wet feet. Embers which haven’t burned long enough or foreign objects in the embers may also result in burns.

Firewalking isn’t some closely guarded secret or an activity that requires special abilities that only a few chosen possess. While some medical conditions do make firewalking dangerous, most healthy people can firewalk if they have enough confidence and the assistance of a professional instructor who will guide them through the process to make sure they’re doing everything right.

The idea for an international celebration of firewalking was born in 2012, but it was first discussed in earnest at the 2017 Firewalk Gathering. Firewalk instructors from different parts of the world gathered in Latvia to discuss the ways to promote the practice of firewalking and encourage people from outside of the firewalk community to give it a try. And this is how International Firewalk Day started; its inaugural celebration took place in April 2018.

The celebration of International Firewalk Day is coordinated by the Global Firewalking Association, a nonprofit organization that unites professional firewalk instructors and firewalking enthusiasts from around the globe. Anyone with an interest in firewalking can participate in the celebration. If you’re a professional firewalk instructor, you can organize an event and register it on the Global Firewalking Association website to gain more exposure. If you are a firewalking enthusiast, you can attend an event near you.

If you’re not quite ready to try firewalking or there are no events you can attend, you can join the celebration by learning interesting facts about firewalking and sharing them with anyone who is willing to listen, watching firewalking videos online, and spreading the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #InternationalFirewalkDay and #FirewalkDay.