The Fire Gift can be gained one of two ways. First, once vampires reach a certain age, the Fire Gift becomes a part of their natural abilities. Alternatively, if a young vampire drinks from the blood of an older vampire already in possession of the Fire Gift, the younger vampire can gain that ability, too.
Essentially, the Fire Gift is pyrokinesis—the ability to make objects combust through the power of the mind and will. Vampires can even make other vampires burst into flames, igniting their blood and reducing them to cinders. The Fire Gift has one specific limitation: vampires must be able to physically see the object that they desire to burn. They might be able to visualize it telepathically, but if they cannot see it with their eyes, then they cannot burn the object.
An example of a young vampire gaining the ability of the Fire Gift from an older vampire is when Marius defends himself and Akasha against Rashid and Eudoxia. Marius accidentally burns Rashid to death with the power of his mind, much to everyone’s surprise. Though Marius is about five hundred years old at this time, it is unlikely that he is old enough to naturally achieve the Fire Gift. Rather, it is more likely that he has received this gift from Akasha, after she lets him drink much of her blood.
An example of a vampire who ages into the ability is Akasha, who uses the Fire Gift against Eudoxia, burning her completely to ashes. Since she is the first vampire, she never drinks the blood of an older, stronger vampire to gain the power. Hers develops over thousands of years.
The only way to prevent the Fire Gift is by wrapping the vampire in iron binds.
The Fire Gift is utilized in The Queen of the Damned (1988), Blood and Gold (2001), Prince Lestat (2014), and Blood Communion (2018). For more perspectives on the Fire Gift in the Vampire Chronicles, read the Alphabettery entries Akasha, Blood Curse, Cloud Gift, Crippling Gift, Dark Gift, Eudoxia, Iron Curse, Marius, Mind Gift, Rashid, and Spell Gift.