Fire

Firefighters from three departments responded to a report of a house on fire in the Cherry Grove area of Vancouver, Washington. When an engine from Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue (CCFR) arrived, fire personnel announced there would be “access issues” to the single-story residence because of clutter.

Fire and smoke were visible from the windows in the kitchen and living room area of the home, but the yard around the house was cluttered with appliances, vehicles, and storage bins. That made it difficult for firefighters to quickly stretch hose lines to the structure.

A news release stated: “Once firefighters were able to clear out some of the clutter and make access to the house, the fire had grown too large to safely make an offensive interior attack. In addition, the interior spaces of the house were also very cluttered with high piles of clothing, storage bins, appliances, furniture, and other items.”

Fire Chief John Nohr said, “Normally in these types of fires, we bring in a track hoe to tear apart the piles. Due to the clutter in the yard, we weren’t able to get heavy equipment in there to help with extinguishment.”

Extreme clutter is dangerous for firefighters, especially when mixed with a smoky environment, because responders can get lost in the clutter. The piles of items can also tip over, crush, or entrap firefighters.

Nohr said, “In 37 years in the fire service, this is one of the most extremely cluttered homes I’ve ever seen. I feel for the family that has lost all of their possessions, but I also feel for the firefighters who put themselves at significant risk trying to fight a fire in a house this full.”

Possible Preaching Angle:
Like houses, a clean life is more than just convenient. It could also be the difference between a close call and destruction. Honest confession of sin provides the opportunity to clean out your stuff now. You don't want to try to desperately clean up in an emergency. New Years is an excellent time to reevaluate your life.

For the past 100 years, the 90,000 residents of Santa Fe, New Mexico, have participated in a unique annual ritual: the burning of Zozobra. With a budget of just over one million dollars, the city constructs a towering 50-foot papier-mâché effigy, which is set ablaze as the crowd chants, “Burn him!” The purpose is to symbolically purge the community of its collective anxieties.

As described by the New York Times, Zozobra is imagined as a beast from the nearby mountains, lured into town under the guise of a celebration. Dressed in formal attire, Zozobra “thrusts the town into darkness and takes away ‘the hopes and dreams of Santa Fe’s children.’” The townspeople attempt to subdue him, but it’s only when the Fire Spirit-summoned by the unity of the citizens-arrives that Zozobra is ultimately defeated by fire.

The ritual’s goal is to literally incinerate the worries and troubles of Santa Fe’s residents. Before the burning, people stuff the effigy with written notes of their anxieties, medical bills, report cards, parking tickets, and even loved ones’ ashes. The act of burning these items serves as a powerful symbol of letting go.

Fire, both historically and in this ritual, represents destruction and renewal. It “eliminates dead vegetation and enriches soil, promoting new growth; it rejuvenates via destruction.” By channeling fire through ritual, people hope to gain control over the cycle of death and rebirth, using flames as a metaphorical reset button. The burning of Zozobra unites the community in optimism, offering a chance to vanquish the undesirable and begin anew each year.

In the charred landscapes left behind by the Los Angeles wildfires, a persistent sign of life has transfixed locals: trees. On lots where houses have been reduced to piles of rubble and cars to mangled metal husks, trees rise. These surviving oaks, pines and orange trees are often the only remaining landmarks in a neighborhood, bittersweet reminders of a time before so much tragedy.

The trees’ survival was a curiosity to many. Shouldn’t they have burned alongside homes?

The trees survived because they are filled with water: The roots draw moisture from soil and transport it through branches to its leaves. When the fires erupted in January, trees in Los Angeles had been especially nourished after two previous rainy winters. All that water makes burning a living tree akin to trying to start a campfire with wet logs.

Possible Preaching Angles:

The trees’ survival in the aftermath of wildfire is a living parable of biblical truths: resilience through adversity, the life-giving power of being rooted and nourished, and the hope that endures even when all else is lost. 1) Final Judgment; Judgment Day – Only believers will be able to stand in the day of judgment because we have the indwelling Christ and his righteousness; 2) Endurance; Hope; Perseverance - The Bible often uses the imagery of trees enduring through drought to represent steadfastness and life in the midst of hardship (Psa. 1:2-3; Jer. 17:7-8).

As fire threatened people in Jasper National Park, Colleen Knull sprang into action. “I like to be able to help people,” said the 18-year-old. “I like the fact that what I do in my work does good.”

Knull is a volunteer firefighter in North Okanagan in Alberta, Canada. She was working a summer job as part of the kitchen staff at a Jasper lodge when one night an evacuation order was issued for the area. “The smoke was coming up from the mountainside,” said Knull. “It was big.”

Knull quickly spread the word to guests of the lodge and tracked down any other people camping out in the area. In total, she rallied 16 people together for a four-hour hike in treacherous terrain to safety.

Rebecca Tocher, a hiker who was in Knull’s group said, “There was more intense smoke, my eyes were burning, there was ash falling constantly. She was an amazing leader and was just making sure that everyone was working together.”

Knull used her knowledge of the area and tracking skills to navigate in the dark. Knull said:

I had previously ridden a horse up to that lodge on that same trail and throughout the way me and my employer, we had cut logs on the way up," said Knull. "There were 67 logs, so there would be 67 cut logs on the way down…So, I used my tracking skills – following horse tracks, and horse manure.”

“She was just on it and she led it, the whole way,” said David Richmond, another hiker in the group.

“I do it because at the end of the day, I’d want somebody there to help,” said Knull.

During the hike down, the group was able to communicate with search and rescue crews to help with the evacuation. Knull eventually drove all 16 people in her pickup truck out of the evacuation zone. No one was seriously injured.

Knull said the experience reinforced her motivation to become a full-time, professional firefighter.

Possible Preaching Angles:

1) Rescue; Salvation; Savior, Christ only - Christ, our compassionate Savior, personally leads us through the valley of death, just as He promised, 'Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are with me' (Psalm 23:4). His prior experience ensures our safe passage. 2) Evangelism, Witnessing - Christians can show others the way to safety in the Lord since they know the way (John 14:6).

Steve Carell surprised high school seniors in Altadena with a heartfelt announcement that left them in awe. The A-list actor is known for his role in The Office. He appeared in a video message to inform students, many of whom lost their homes in the devastating Eaton Fire in California, that their prom tickets were paid for.

“Attention. Attention all seniors,” Carell said in the video, delivering the message in his signature mock-serious tone. “This is Steve Carell, with a very special announcement.”

Carell shared in the video, “I work with a wonderful charity based out of Virginia called Alice’s Kids. And Alice’s Kids wanted me to let you know that they will be paying for all of your prom tickets.”

The donation of about $175,000 will cover prom tickets for over 800 students across six schools impacted by the Eaton Fire, which caused widespread destruction in early January. “Many, many, many of the kids who go to those schools lost homes,” said Ron Fitzsimmons, executive director of Alice’s Kids. “They’re still going to school, but they don’t have a home.” The tickets, ranging from $50 to $185, would have been out of reach for many students who lost everything in the fire.

Fitzsimmons explained the significance of the gesture, saying, “The prom is a party, and more than anything, these kids need a party. They need something that is uplifting.” This gesture of kindness was deeply appreciated by the students and faculty.

One school principal said, “This means everything to our students. It brought so much joy this morning, and that’s something that our students have really been missing.”

Possible Preaching Angle:

God is honored when we use our resources to help those who are suffering. It doesn't matter how we are gifted; all of us have gifts that we can use to bless others.

In an issue of CT magazine, E.F. Gregory shares the following story of how a persecuted pastor in China prayed for her during the devastating fires in Southern California:

On January 7, 2025, a series of devastating wildfires erupted in the Los Angeles area. As I drove home to Alhambra, strong winds and sirens filled the air, and flames were visible in the mountains. As I drove, strong winds threatened to push my car to the curb. Broken tree branches littered the streets. The Eaton Fire was igniting near Altadena, a suburb north of my location. The community of Altadena would soon be severely affected by the fire.

The Los Angeles wildfires were catastrophic, killing at least 29 people, destroying nearly 17,000 structures, and displacing over 100,000 individuals. The sheer scale of the disaster is overwhelming, making it difficult to know how to respond.

A phone call with Pastor Zhang from eastern China offered a different perspective. While facing persecution and challenges in his ministry, Zhang relies heavily on prayer and a network of believers. When he learned about the fires near my home, he prayed for my family and our community.

Zhang’s thoughtful, empathetic questions surprised me. After all, we were meeting to talk about how he felt to know that Christians outside of China are interceding for his community. Instead, Zhang was remembering and praying for me.

Zhang's empathy was striking, especially given the isolation Chinese Christians often feel from the global Christian community. He emphasized that prayer unites believers across distances and cultures. "We pray for all parts of the world," he said, including the California fires, asking for God's mercy and grace. For Zhang, the fires were an opportunity to connect the struggles of his church with those of mine.

Recent years have been particularly challenging for Chinese Christians due to increased persecution. Zhang said, “In the latter half of the last century, the Chinese church was like an orphan, separated from the family of the universal church.”

Despite these challenges, Zhang believes prayer is a mutual act that strengthens relationships between believers worldwide. Zhang prayed that the disaster in Los Angeles would bring American Christians together to demonstrate God's care for the affected communities.

As we grieve our losses, I’m comforted and humbled to know that the persecuted church is interceding on our behalf. This is why I believe that praying for the church in China is more important than ever. When they suffer, I also suffer. But prayer does not move in only one direction. If I focus only on caring for my Chinese brothers and sisters without allowing them to care for me, we are not in real relationship. We need to pray for one another.

When Gustavo Alvarez lost his home in Los Angeles, there was a bitter irony that added insult to his travail. The fire that consumed his home started in a homeless encampment behind his home. Initially, insurance payments made it possible for Alvarez to move his family into an apartment while the home could be rebuilt. But the temporary housing benefits only lasted six months, which left Alvarez with nowhere near enough time or money to complete his home renovation.

Alvarez told The Los Angeles Times, “We are saving up to fix the house. But the $1,400 of rent for our temporary home has been an added expense. My wife is working at a clothing store to make up for some of it … You work day and night for years to build something and it is gone in a matter of hours.”

When Jessica Lawson read Alvarez’ newspaper story, she was moved to act. Lawson is a disaster recovery program manager for Habitat for Humanity in the greater LA area, so she reached out. Lawson said, “I knew we had the power to help. Wouldn’t it be cool if we could actually help the family?”

And help they did. Because of Lawson’s intervention, Habitat was able to offer Alvarez a loan with highly favorable terms that would help him finish his home. After reviewing damage estimates from a general contractor, the work was done quickly, enabling Alvarez to move back in a few months’ time.

Tony Hsieh (pronounced “Shay”) wanted to promote happiness and world peace. The brilliant business guru took over Zappos soon after it was founded. Under his leadership, he propelled it from a company on the verge of collapse to a successful online retail enterprise that sold to Amazon for $1.2 billion in 2009.

After the publication of his book, Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose, he became a workplace-happiness guru. Thousands of business leaders, government officials, and Wall Street analysts flocked to Zappos’s downtown Las Vegas headquarters each year to take tours of its fun-filled offices and learn from Mr. Hsieh.

When Hsieh stepped down as CEO of Zappos in August of 2020, he thought he could achieve world peace. He moved to Park City, Utah, and wanted to attract intellectuals and artists with outsize salaries to create a sort of utopia. The blueprint for this model town could then be applied to other cities across the world.

But behind his swift success, Mr. Hsieh had for years struggled privately with social anxiety, autism, and alcohol abuse. Five months before his death, he suffered a breakdown after abusing drugs, in particular a drug that some describe as “spiritual.” He had also developed a fascination with fire. He liked fooling around with it and performing magic tricks. Candles were sometimes perched dangerously on his bedspread, and Mr. Hsieh kept a small fire ring in his bedroom that shot flames into the air without any barrier. Sadly, he died at 46 in November 2020, from injuries sustained in a house fire that was ruled an accident by local authorities.

Possible Preaching Angle:

This tragic tale shows what happens when we work for “happiness” or “world peace” or making a difference in the world without first dealing with our own sin and brokenness.

Reese Osterberg, like a lot of 9-year-old girls, loves baseball. The love of her favorite sport drove her to collect baseball cards. But when the largest wildfire in California’s history forced her family to evacuate, her baseball cards were left behind. The fire devoured the cards along with the rest of their home.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) was raising funds for fire survivors when they shared Osterberg’s story over the radio. Kevin Ashford of San Jose was listening that day, and when he heard about the young girl’s story, he was moved to act. Ashford called Cal Fire to donate his burgeoning baseball card collection--25,000 cards strong--to Osterberg and her family.

Ashford told CNN, "I had initially planned on selling my cards on eBay. But when I thought about the smile I could put on that little girl's face; it was an easy decision. I felt compelled to donate the cards to her."

Members of the Cal Fire team delivered the collection in person to the Osterbergs, which prompted young Reese to respond by giving some of them away to her friends and baseball teammates. Reese said, "When someone does something nice for you, it's important to do nice things for other people, too.”

Possible Preaching Angle:

When we open our hearts and our material possessions to those who are in need, we are not only acting as the hands of feet of Jesus to others, but we are also actively ministering to Jesus himself.

When Christiana Plews left her home one fateful night, she had an ominous feeling she couldn’t shake. As she was leaving, she told her husband, “I think my worst nightmare is about to come true.” Plews is the Upper McKenzie Fire & Rescue Chief, and she’d been called to help fight fires about 30 miles away. But she knew the area was very, very dry, and she knew the weather forecast called for high winds--a recipe for wildfires.

“Be safe,” her husband told her. She could’ve said the very same to him; about five hours later, she ordered the evacuation of several surrounding towns, including her own. When she couldn’t reach her husband on his phone, she called one of her sons, instructing him to leave. “Get in your car and get out of there.” The fire that she’d left to fight hours earlier was way out of control, and was, in her words, “ripping down the valley.”

Plews and the other firefighters in her unit are all volunteers; while they battled the flames the best they could, all of their homes burned down. In the aftermath of the flames, many community members have rallied around the chief, helping to provide essential clothes, food, and supplies to replace what she’s lost.

Included among her admirers is actress Drew Barrymore, who gave her a check for $10,000. When Barrymore asked her how she remained so strong and steadfast, Plews had a ready response: “Somebody has to do it. Somebody has to lead and somebody has to help get the healing and rebuilding process started … I just have to do it for everyone else and hopefully we can all find our way.”

Possible Preaching Angles:

In a crisis, Christ followers have both the opportunity and the responsibility to demonstrate the love of Jesus through sacrificial acts of love and service.

In a sermon, the Reverend Ethan Magness quoted the Danish philosopher Kierkegaard who told this parable:

A crowded theater hosted a variety show, with various acts in it. Each act was more fantastic than the one prior, so it created louder and louder applause from the audience. Suddenly, a clown rushed on to the stage and said, “I apologize for this interruption, but I regret to inform you that our theater is on fire! You need to leave right away, and in an orderly fashion.”

But the audience thought he was part of the act, so they laughed and applauded. They thought he was very committed to the role. But the clown again implored them that they needed to leave right away or they would get seriously injured, maybe even die. And again, they greeted him with loud and thunderous applause. At last, he could do no more, and so he left the building, and the people were destroyed.

And Kierkegaard concludes in this sobering way: “Our age will go down in fiery destruction not to the sound of mourning but to applause and cheering.”

While Ben Watson was considering retirement, a new opportunity appeared. Staying true to his aggressive playing style, he jumped on it. As a former tight end for the New Orleans Saints, Watson was disturbed about what appeared to be an intentional burning of three different historical black churches in and around Louisiana. So the NFL veteran used his sizable social media following to spread the news and to help assist in the fundraising to rebuild.

He also tweeted the following: "It is imperative that we show this community and the entire country that these types of acts do not represent who we are. And most importantly as the body of Christ, we suffer alongside our brothers and sisters whenever tragedy, persecution, or loss happens.”

St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas, and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas were all burned in a ten-day span. Police have since arrested Holden Matthews, 21, in connection with the fires.

Watson spoke on the phone with pastors from all three Louisiana churches and he marveled at their demeanor:

In speaking with these pastors, I am in awe and inspired by their faith and courage, comforting their congregations and family members. Through sadness and shock they spoke of forgiveness for the arsonist and grace for tomorrow. Most importantly, they spoke of being overwhelmed by support from people of goodwill and all religions from around the country. And they were humbled by what God has already done through this series of events.

Potential Preaching Angles: If a problem offends you deeply on a heart and soul level, that might be part of God’s invitation to for you to participate in its solution. Persecution also gives the Christian community opportunity to model forgiveness to the offender and support for fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

A devastating fire ravaged the building housing Freedom Ministries Church in West Virginia. It was intense enough to justify a joint response from several nearby fire departments. It was so hot that at one point it caused firefighters to back out from the blaze. But after the fire was extinguished, what they found inside shocked them even more.

A post on the department’s Facebook page explains: “In your mind, everything should be burned, ashes. [But] not a single Bible was burned and not a single cross was harmed!! Not a single firefighter was hurt!” Photo evidence showed several compelling photos of Bibles unscathed amidst plenty of charred remains.

"Though the odds were against us, God was not," the firefighters added.

Potential Preaching Angles: God’s Word is the truth, and truth can withstand the attacks against it. Even when it seems like all else will fail, God’s Word remains.

Kevin McKay drove the school bus along gridlocked, dark roads as pockets of fire burned all around. Nearly two dozen elementary school children were on board with him. Smoke began to fill the bus, so McKay took off a shirt. He and two teachers on the bus tore it into pieces and doused them with water. The children held the damp pieces of cloth to their mouths and breathed through them.

He had only been on the job, driving the bus for Ponderosa Elementary School in the northern California city of Paradise, for a few months. Now, McKay was ferrying the 22 stranded children to safety as the Camp Fire scorched everything in its path. It would take five harrowing hours for them to reach safety.

Family members of most other students had already picked up their children. But nearly two dozen students were stranded because their family members hadn't made it to the school. McKay discussed evacuating the students with Ponderosa's principal. Two teachers, Abbie Davis and Mary Ludwig, evacuated with McKay and the students.

As they drove away from the school on roads thick with smoke, the bus became stuck in the gridlock of vehicles trying to leave Paradise. Should they abandon the bus, they wondered?

Davis said she thought she was going to die several times along the journey. At one point, they prayed, Ludwig said. Hours later, parents and children were reunited. McKay said Davis' husband hugged him so hard, he "near lifted me off the ground."

The Camp Fire is now the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history, killing at least 81 people and leaving more than 900 people still unaccounted for. Recounting their escape on Sunday, McKay was modest. But Davis and Ludwig said McKay was a true hero. "We had the bus driver from heaven," Ludwig said.

Potential Preaching Angles:

In our time of greatest danger, Jesus, our ‘rescuer from heaven’ came to save us. He brings all who trust him safely through the fire (Matthew 1:21).

Some silly people are terrified of spiders. If you're one of them, then a recent story from the New York Times is for you. Apparently, a Seattle man tried to kill a spider in his laundry room with a homemade blow torch—"a very dangerous can of spray paint set aflame by a lighter." Big mistake. The result? He burned his house down.

By the time the fire department put out the blaze that ensued, it had caused $40,000 in damages to the house and $20,000 to property inside. It is unclear if the spider survived." This "solution" was definitely worse than the problem.

Possible Preaching Angle:

Same for many of our lives—the fixes we come up with are often foolish, ill-advised, or downright dangerous. We feel lonely, so we turn to the "company" of pornography or an abusive relationship to "solve" the issue. We feel insignificant, so we turn for affirmation on social media, leading to the original problem spiraling out of control. What we need is a solution bigger than the problems we face, and ultimately, there's only one—Jesus.

Cheryl Crausewell of Dora, Alabama wasn't happy about the toilet paper in her magnolia tree. A prank she wasn't laughing about, she was intent on cleaning it up ASAP. Her solution for the hard-to-reach bits? Fire. Of course, it didn't turn out well. Burning toilet paper set her grass, then her house on fire. The house? "A total loss." Oh, and there's still toilet paper in her trees.

Possible Preaching Angle:

If we misjudge the severity of a situation, or respond to conflict with more force than we need to, the solution to a problem can be far, far worse than the problem itself. You may just see a whole life's work or relationship go up in flames. All for a little bit of "toilet paper."

[Hell] is sobering. When I was asked by Dr. Billy Graham to deal on this theme, I was not sure I was qualified. It is one of the most solemn truths in all of the Word of God. As I prayed and studied, I was reminded of what Robert W. Dale once said: "The only man I can listen to preaching on hell is D. L. Moody, because I have never heard him talk of it without breaking down and weeping."

Warren Wiersbe says that realism is idealism that has been through the fire and got purified; cynicism is idealism that has been through the fire and got burned. Now whether you get burned or purified is not determined by the intensity of the heat but by the malleability of your spirit.