Why is Claire using ether around an open flame in Outlander?

There have been a lot of debates over Claire’s use of the ether in the Outlander Season 6 premiere. Can we just focus on the open flame right now, though?

You can think what you want about whether Claire would use ether to self-medicate or not. This is a deviation from the books I like, but I knew that a lot of people wouldn’t. It shows just how much trauma changes people.

However, there is something that stands out to me, and I’m not sure if this is foreshadowing or something. Claire is preparing the ether in front of an open flame.

Ether is a highly flammable substance. This is discussed a lot in A Breath of Snow and Ashes, with Claire making sure she prepares it carefully. Has the show done a huge boo-boo with the open flame, or does it suggest something for the future episodes?

Is this how the house burns down in Outlander Season 6?

We know how the Big House burns down in A Breath of Snow and Ashes. However, there are hints from the way the Bugs were used in Season 5 and the lack of French gold mentions that the storyline may not play out in the same way. (Update: I’ve always combined two storylines in my head from the books, but the Bugs aren’t linked to the house fire. Someone else is.)

Is it possible that Claire’s self-medicating with the ether is what causes it? Could she use it in front of an open flame leading to the surgery going up in smoke? Is this how others will find out what she’s doing to sleep?

It could even connect to the matches that we know Bree is going to make. Claire could use Brianna’s matches to light a candle around the ether. This is what leads to the big fire. However, that would mean Claire would face some serious injuries, so it’s probably not going to happen.

It’s possible that it’s just one of those moments that the EPs have overlooked or decided to ignore when it comes to accuracy. Remember the bread in glass jars while trying to make penicillin?

What do you think will cause the fire? How do you think Claire will be caught in Outlander Season 6? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander airs Sundays on STARZ.