Here's What Dreams About Fire Really Mean

There’s no straight answer when it comes to interpreting a dream. While dream analysts often agree on what dream symbols can mean, it’ll be up to you to consider what your particular fire dream represents, including how it applies to your life.

So, what does it mean when you dream about fire? To start, think about any significant events that might have happened in the previous one to three days. “Your dreams are most likely related to this, and give you insight into how to move forward,” says Jesse Lyon, LMHC, a dream interpreter and hypnotherapist.

Read more: What Do Dreams About Cats Mean? Here's What Experts Say

To get more info, reflect on how the image of the fire was presented to you. Athena Laz, a depth psychologist and lucid dream teacher, says your proximity to the fire as well as its severity often serve as another clue behind your dream’s meaning. A peaceful, cozy fire dream — one where you’re sitting by a warm fireplace — could represent clearing or transformation, while one that’s out of control and destructive — like a raging house fire — could represent underlying feelings of anger.

Once you figure that part out, apply those details to what’s going on in your waking life. “Look at any emotions, relationships, or situations that you need to address and transmute,” Laz says. From there, you’ll start to uncover what your dream is trying to tell you. To help the process along, here are a few possible fire dream meanings.

1. You’re Angry

According to dream expert Lauri Loewenberg, fire in a dream most often represents rage and anger. And that’s thanks to its well-known symbolism. “We tend to use fire terms when talking about anger,” she tells Bustle, pointing to examples like “hot under the collar,” “all fired up,” or “burning with rage.” Fire is also often described using angry terms — for instance, “the fire was raging.” Anger and fire go hand-in-hand, Loewenberg explains, which is why this sort of imagery might crop up in your dreams if you’ve been mad about something.

2. You Feel Out Of Control

A fiery dream could also point to something in your life that feels out of control, says licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Holly Schiff. “Dreaming of a fire can indicate a sense of urgency, as in you have a ‘fire’ that needs to be put out and tended to,” she tells Bustle. To analyze the meaning further, think about any issues that are going on in your life that you’ve been ignoring or burying because they’re too stressful.

3. You’re About To Burn Out

A fire dream might also serve as a warning from your subconscious mind that you’re about to burn out, especially if you dream about a house fire. “Dreams illustrate how we are feeling and what we are thinking,” Loewenberg says. “After a house catches on fire, often all that is left is a burnt-out shell. The house fire is a warning from the subconscious that if we don't find a way to cool off, to destress, or let go, we are on the way to becoming a burnt-out shell of ourselves.”

4. You Want To Help

If you have a dream about a forest fire, it might represent anger or rage, but it could also point to a desire to volunteer. “When we dream, we dream about the state of the collective and our place within it,” Laz says. “So with dreams that focus on nature, it is helpful for the dreamer to reflect on the dream meaning for both themselves and the collective.”

You might dream about a destructive forest fire because you’re stressed about the state of the world and want to help, Laz says as one example, perhaps by planting more trees. As you analyze your dream, you’ll be able to tell if this interpretation feels right to you.

5. You’re Going Through A Transformation

Since fires are destructive, they also tend to symbolize transformation, Lyon says, just like a phoenix rising from ashes. To see if this feels on point, think about all the ways in which you you’re going through changes right now, whether it’s at work, in relationships, etc.

A fiery dream could also crop up when you’re on the precipice a new creative project, which is another type of fresh start. “In some places, controlled fires are started to give the earth a chance to regenerate and return to health,” Laz says. “Fire dreams sometimes speak to this kind of inner transformation and regeneration. A creative fire that burns bright is something worth starting.”

6. You Need To Let Go

According to Lyon, if you lose something in a fire, it often signals that you’re letting go, usually of rigid expectations. “Dream symbols are messages from our unconscious mind warning or guiding us toward a better future and self,” he says, so it might actually come as a relief to have this type of dream.

While the dream might feel sad in the moment, consider how you feel once you’ve processed it. As Laz says, “If you lose something to a fire, ask yourself if deep down you feel liberated by its absence.” If so, your dream might be alerting you to the essence of who you really are, she says, which is something that goes beyond material things and can withstand a big loss.

7. You Have A Burning Desire

According to therapist and dream expert Dr. Katherine Lawson, these dreams could also mean you’re burning with desire or curiosity. This could point to something you need to say, something you’d like to learn, or even represent a love interest (perhaps one you haven’t talked to yet).

“The important thing is to realize that dreams are rarely literal but instead communication in a metaphoric language of images,” Lawson says. “In order to integrate the lesson to real life, take your associations to the images and then think about where those associations are showing up in your waking life.” Once you do, you’ll notice that you may stop having fire dreams. As Lawson says, “Dreams do stop once you have integrated whatever messages they might have for you.”

Studies referenced:

Fogli, A., Maria Aiello, L., & Quercia, D. (2020). Our dreams, our selves: Automatic analysis of dream reports. Royal Society Open Science, 7(8), 192080. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.192080

Weinstein, N., Campbell, R., & Vansteenkiste, M. (2018). Linking psychological need experiences to daily and recurring dreams. Motivation and emotion, 42(1), 50–63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-017-9656-0

Sources:

Jesse Lyon, LMHC, dream interpreter and hypnotherapist

Athena Laz, depth psychologist and lucid dream teacher

Dr. Holly Schiff, licensed clinical psychologist

Lauri Loewenberg, dream expert

Dr. Katherine Lawson, therapist and dream expert