Fire is one of the most prominent symbols in The People of Sparks. It appears most notably in the names of the towns, as well as through Lina’s fear of fire and through the climax of the novel.

Both of the major place names in this novel are derived from fire. Embers are the remains of a fire and aptly reflect the nature of the City of Ember; Ember was a place that “was ending” (184). The embers of a fire are very hot, but ultimately finite. Conversely, sparks are often the start of a fire. Sparks is a young village that has just begun to thrive. Dr. Hester tells Lina that “[s]parks are a beginning. We are the beginning of something here, or trying to be, the way a spark is the beginning of a fire” (72). As Lina points out, sparks can sometimes be dangerous. This, too, parallels the town of Sparks. The fierce protectiveness of the townspeople almost culminates in disaster. However, when managed responsibly, this passion can be a productive powerful force instead.

The symbol of fire is also relevant in that many of the Emberites, Lina included, are terrified of fire. It was a purely dangerous force in Ember, and they are unused to it being controlled and used as it is in Sparks.