concept: 3d print a dumpster, put LEDs in there to simulate fire. Bonus points: internet & use current events to drive intensity.

Dumpster:

• https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:950602
• print all parts at 140% scale
• compensate -0.02mm "bin"
• use green PLA (Matter Fiber HTPLA is great) for bin, hinge, sleeves
• use black TPU for wheels & lids
• use piano wire for "bar" (hinge pin); bend one side

Tea lights:

• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YJGQQ8K
• wad up a tissue in the bottom to hold the flame higher

Bonus:

• Particle Photon (fave IOT platform)
• APA102 or WS2811, high density, 10 LEDs
• 128x64 OLED display for stats

The intensity feed:

• IFTTT: if "user posts on twitter" then "publish an event to Particle". It's a public event, the data is entirely the contents of the tweet. The device subscribes to / receives that event and uses the number of characters to drive the intensity. Over time the fire dies down to a relatively low smolder.
• In the video below, the unit starts at minimum intensity and reacts as if to a 45-character tweet. Over the next ~48 minutes the intensity will die back to the lowest value (unless there's more tweeting).