User blog comment:Savalric/IRL OP Fire/@comment-7092747-20131125152549

Schiffy nailed it.

In the earliest periods of human history fire was perceived as being magical or of divine origin. People could not explain how fire worked and for that reason it was feared for its power.

Throughout history we can see that fire was a powerful tool of warfare. From surrounding an enemy position with fire to letting loose a volley of fire-tipped arrows to burning an enemy's (or your own) crops. Fire is a destructive force that can wipe away resources, food, and life with ease.

Even today we still fear the power of fire because it can start almost instantly and once started it can quickly rage out of control and destroy so much in so little of time.

As for why people run away from something like a dragon breathing fire, the heat of the fire and the volume of it would be fatal as it would likely result in the instant loss of hair, depending on material your clothes would be gone, and your skin would not be far behind.