If a user sees a fire emoji next to a friend's name, it means they are on a Snapstreak together. This is when the user and their friend have Snapped — sent a photo or a video back and forth between each other — once a day for at least three days in a row.

On Snapchat, the fire emoji will appear if you and one of your friends are on a “Snapstreak”. A streak begins when you and your friend have snapped each other for three consecutive days. In other words, the two of you have sent at least one snap to each other for three days straight. As a result, “ 3 🔥” will appear next to their name.

If you see the fire emoji (), this indicates that you and your friend are on a Snapstreak. That means you and your friend have Snapped at each other (not chatted) at least once every 24 hours for more than three days in a row. The number next to the fire emoji () tells you how many days you’ve been on a Snapstreak with a specific user.

The fire emoji is an indicator that you and your friend have been maintaining this daily exchange for a minimum of three days in a row. The fire emoji acts as a symbol of consistency and commitment in keeping the Snapstreak alive.