Fire is and has been an integral part of all cultures and religions from prehistory to the modern era. It has been considered in many different contexts throughout history, but primarily as a metaphysical constant of the world. Fire in the tarot represents conversion or passion. Many instances relating to fire in tarot are associated with the usage of fire in the application of alchemy, in which the use of fire is a prime method of conversion, and everything that touches fire is changed, often beyond recognition.
The symbol of fire represents transformation. For example, refining raw crudities to gold, as seen in the devil. As an element, fire has mixed symbolism because it represents energy, which can be helpful when it is controlled, but volatile when it left unchecked.