Going through Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho yesterday, I found a variation on the baptism scene :
88. And let this be a proof to you, namely, what I told you was done by the Magi from Arabia, who as soon as the Child was born came to worship Him, for even at His birth He was in possession of His power; and as He grew up like all other men, by using the fitting means, He assigned its own [requirements] to each development, and was sustained by all kinds of nourishment, and w
aited for thirty years, more or less, until John appeared before Him as the herald of His approach, and preceded Him in the way of baptism, as I have already shown. And then, when Jesus had gone to the river Jordan, where John was baptizing, and when He had stepped into the water, a fire was kindled in the Jordan; and when He came out of the water, the Holy Ghost lighted on Him like a dove, [as] the apostles of this very Christ of ours wrote.
Justin's baptism scene is certainly more exciting than the usual Canonical version. A little digging online revealed similar traditions were evidenced from the 2nd century and continued for centuries.
A 6th century hymn on the Epiphany by Romanos Melodos, XVI.14.7-10
"and fire in the Jordan shining"
Ephrem's commentary on the Diatessaron and Ishodad of Merv both declared that in an early version of the Diatessaron the words appeared:
"... light shone forth, and over the Jordan was spread a vail of white clouds, and there appeared many hosts of spiritual beings who were praising God in the air; and quietly Jordan stood still from its flowing, its waters being at rest; and a sweet odor was wafted from thence.
Kerygma Pauli (Preachings of Paul) "...when he was baptized, fire appeared upon the water."
The 3 century "De rebaptismate" describes a group of Christians who included fire in their baptism ceremony following the above Kerygma Pauli.
The Gospel of the Ebionites: "and immediately a great light shone around the place"
Gregory of Antioch (6th CE) notes the fire on the Jordan in his Homilia in S. Theophania.
And two Old Latin mss (ita vgms) of Matthew 13:
And when Jesus was being baptized a great light flashed (a tremendous light flashed around) from the water, so that all who had gathered there were afraid
There are apparently many more examples.
Obviously, the symbolism of light and fire are in play.