This is the 2415th most frequent Dutch word.
vlammen
"Vlammen" means "to flame" or "to blaze" in English.
Here, 'vlammen' is used as a noun meaning 'flames'.
De vlammen van het kampvuur waren prachtig.
The flames of the campfire were beautiful.
In this sentence, 'vlamde' is the past tense of the verb 'vlammen', metaphorically meaning 'to shine or perform brightly'.
Hij vlamde tijdens de wedstrijd met zijn prestaties.
He excelled during the match with his performance.
Here, 'vlamt' is the third-person singular present tense of the verb 'vlammen', literally meaning 'to flame'.