The Dwarf chuckled. "Possibly true . . . however, a swarm of gnats or bees can keep the fires from being summoned up in the first place."  That was, he thought, how one of his first students had managed to help foil an invasion during her first job as a baronial court magician.  Eliminating the opposition's magical capabilities by continuously pestering their wizard.  Not to mention the effects of swarms of spiders, gnats, flies, and worse on the invaders' morale.  "Elemental magic may, arguably, be the most flashy magic.  And it may be powerful.  But, in the end, the amount of power doesn't matter.  What does matter is how it is used.  Working against nature can be quite draining, for say calling up an earthquake.  Tweaking nature so that a group of bees does what is in their nature, but at a time and place of your choosing, takes little effort."