If you click on the sprites button are there sprites there? If so maybe the fire is just placed as the first sprite and you just have to scroll to a character sprite, then go back to the palettes button.
If it isn't that I would have to know the character you are trying to open and test it myself to try and replicate.
Update, the fix:
I just downloaded cvshawk by 2
I opened the character.
I went into the
anims and moved to a T Hawk sprite.
I clicked palettes and see the character sprite.