The initial care of a patient with burns is a challenge for every doctor. After cooling the burn appropriately, a careful history and a good initial assessment are of essential importance for treatment. The burn should be inspected regularly for early detection of any infection and to evaluate wound healing. If healing has not occurred in two weeks, hypertrophic scarring may develop and surgical treatment should be considered. It is always possible to contact the burns centres in Beverwijk, Rotterdam and Groningen to discuss treatment of the burn, any infection of a wound, consideration of surgical treatment, or transfer of a patient to a burn centre.