Kellie,
I'm sorry. I don't fully understand the question.
If taken literally I'd say the answer to your question is 'render the fire sprite action out and use the resulting image in your material'.
What is it you are trying to do?
Can you clarify?
The classic fire sprite tutorial is in the manual: Exercise 16, "Smoke, Wind and Fire".
im trying to place the fire in a trash can... (hobo sene)