Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a general excl.

1904		Star (NZ) 23 Mar. 4/2: [from Longman’s Mag.] Flames! I should think so [...] God’s flames on you forever!
1919		‘Sax Rohmer’ Dope 218: ‘Flames!’ muttered the Chief Inspector [...] ‘I didn’t mean to break his neck.’.