Huo Yan Li

is a former Third Generation pyrokinetic, and a former captain of Special Fire Force Company 1.

Appearance
Huo Yan is a young man with short, shaggy blond hair that falls just over the top half of his face and eyes that naturally appear closed. He also has a chin strip and wears a dark-colored hat. Huo Yan's outfit consists of a dark-colored cassock, topped by a light overcoat-like garment with a high collar and a skirt-like garment, dark shoes and a pendant with a cross-like symbol as a charm — an outfit, which is shared amongst the Company Commanders of his brigade. After his encounter with Rekka's superiors, Huo Yan had one of his arms cut-off by a fire arrow.

Personality
In contrast to his long-time friends and team-mates Karim Flam and Rekka Hoshimiya, Huo Yan is a rather laid-back and responsible individual, who doesn't like to get worked-up and waste time with meaningless fighting. He abides to the etiquette of the 1st Special Fire Brigade strongly, going as far as to point out formalities, such as a dress code. Despite the revelation of the Church's wrongdoing, Yan still abides by the institution because it gives people hope during tragedies and worships the Sun and Sun God and the good it brings to the world and humanity instead of the malicious ideals of the White Clad and the Evangelist.

Abilities
Huo Yan is a Third Generation pyrokinetic which grants him the ability to generate his own flames. Using hand-to-hand combat in conjunction with his Ignition Ability, he is capable of killing Infernal's with ease, using very quick and precise movements. He has shown to be a powerful combatant despite having lost his right arm.

VS. Special Fire Force Company 1 arc
After the scuffle between Special Fire Force Company 5 and Special Fire Force Company 8, Huo Yan and his fellow lieutenants, Karim and Rekka, are approached by Leonard Burns and together they discuss the event. Later, when trainees from the 2nd, 5th and 8th Brigades arrive at the 1st Special Fire Fighting Cathedral and their training regiment begins, Huo Yan is pitted against Tōru Kishiri, both of whom refuse to fight. After training, when a Infernal was spotted in the area under the jurisdiction of the 1st Special Fire Brigade, Huo Yan takes lead of one the squads. Later, Huo Yan and Karim begin searching for Rekka, after it becomes clear that he is responsible for creating artificial Infernals. After the two find and restrain him, they look on as Rekka is killed by an arrow. When Karim becomes the following target, Huo Yan pushes him out of the line of fire, but has his arm severed by the arrow in the process.

Fifth Pillar arc
After the great fire in Tokyo, Huo Yan asks Karim if it was artificially created, and is informed that it was and by the White-Clad. As his missing arm is brought up, Huo Yan says that losing it was God testing him, and guilt trips Karim into tenting their hands together.

Ōbi's Rescue arc
Huo Yan appears in this arc.

Asakusa Showdown arc
After being promoted to captain of Company 1, Huo Yan discusses the pillars erecting around Tokyo with Karim, and comments that Onyango would be a better captain than him. Then, he addresses everyone attending the 1st Special Fire Fighting Cathedral that they must fight the fear that grips Tokyo's citizens that has been brought on by the White-Clad. Afterwards, Company 1 attends of scene of a chain reaction of sentient Infernals, which Huo Yan suspects was caused by the effects of the Great Cataclysm growing. Telling Onyango to lead the civilian evacuation, he has Konyango accompany himself and Karim in dealing with the infernals. As Infernals attempt to attack the group, he kills one Infernal to protect Konyango. Afterwards, he watches a Demon Infernal kill the other Infernals, and watches it flee the scene as an Earthquake occurs from another Pillar being erected. Watching the Demon fight Benimaru Shinmon in the sky, he is joined by Hibana and Konro Sagamiya. Watching Benimar defeat the Doppelgänger, Huo Yan comments that there is one stone pillar left before his world merges with Adolla.

Trivia

 * There seems to be a bit of a dispute over how to actually translate the lieutenant's name. The kanji written to represent his name, when translated, comes out as "Foien Li," however, the official translation of his name in the anime and manga is spelled "Huo Yan Li." Huo Yan's name is a homophone of the Chinese word 火焰 (huǒ yàn) which means "flames".