Fire is a powerful symbol of transformation. It reflects the duality of humankind- it can be warm and keep you cozy or it can be chaos and destruction.
The word fire is inherited from Germanic, dating prior to Old English. The oldest forms of the word fire that are recorded for English include the letter y, fyrr, fyre. Middle English tends to play with spelling a lot more than Old English or Early Modern English, resulting in over 50 various spellings. Many contain duplicate letters, and this remedied itself over time with letter deletion, mainly seen with double consonants like the double f in ffyr or double r in fierr. By the 1600s all other spelling variations appear to have disappeared, leaving only fire in their wake.
Practitioners use fire in rituals to release negative energy, invoke change, and connect with the spiritual realm. Flickering flames from a candle is believed to carry intentions and messages to the universe. Both witchcraft and science recognize the dual nature of fire which is its ability to create and destroy. In witchcraft, fire is a tool for transformation and manifestation. In science, fire is a force of nature that can be harnessed for practical purposes. It creates heat and light, but it also requires oxygen to keep going.
Sources:
“Fire, N. & Int.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2024, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/3717345273.