A self-styled fire performer who calls herself a “fire goddess” is facing attempted murd£r and arson charges after authorities say she deliberately set a vehicle ablaze while two of her friends slept inside, with a propane tank and pyrotechnic gear nearby.

Nicole Najlis, 30, was arrested at a truck stop in Hesperia, California, after deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department arrived to find two vehicles engulfed in flames. Witnesses pointed them toward Najlis, who was detained close to the scene. Her bail was set at $1 million.

The burned vehicle belonged to Las Vegas-based pyrotechnician James Bahr, who said the nightmarish blaze capped a chaotic road trip home from a music festival near San Diego. Bahr, who holds flame-effect and explosives certifications, said he had invited Najlis along as an act of kindness after learning she was homeless and leaving an abusive relationship.

According to Bahr, tensions erupted on the return journey when Najlis allegedly began demanding his prescription Xanax. He said she repeatedly harassed him for the medication, then punched him in the head while he was driving, forcing him to pull into a gas station to regain control.

Bahr said he ordered Najlis out of the Honda Element and began removing her belongings. As he did, he noticed her moving items around inside the vehicle. Moments later, he smelled gasoline.

“As soon as I said, ‘what is that smell?’ she threw a match and lit the car on fire,” Bahr recounted. Two friends were asleep in the vehicle at the time. The sudden commotion woke them, and they scrambled out just before the interior was consumed by flames.

The danger escalated because Bahr’s work equipment, including propane tanks and fire-effects gear, was stored in the car. He said a propane tank exploded roughly 30 seconds after the fire started, destroying the vehicle and a second car nearby. No injuries were reported.

Bahr estimated his losses at about $12,000, including the recently purchased car, tools and personal items. “This is just insane to me, I’m still shocked,” he said, calling Najlis “a danger to society.”

Najlis, who performs under the name “Cosmic Nymph,” has previously promoted her ability to manipulate fire as art. Public records indicate she has prior run-ins with law enforcement, including allegations of assault and disorderly conduct. She is now awaiting further court proceedings on the attempted murd£r and arson charges.