About a year has passed. In the middle of the night, a catastrophic fire ravages the town. In the room she now shares with Irina, Olga is gathering clothes to donate to the victims of the fire. Olga decides that Vershinin and his family, whose home was almost burned, should stay at the Prozorov house along with Fedotik, whose house was destroyed. Ferapont enters and comments that Moscow also burned once in 1912. Olga sends him off with a bundle of clothes and then dictates sleeping arrangements to Anfisa, noting that Chebutykin is extremely drunk. Suddenly, Anfisa begs Olga not to kick her out. Olga is perplexed that Anfisa would be worried about such a thing; she orders Anfisa to sit and rest. Natasha enters and announces that they ought to organize a charity for the fire victims, adding, “It’s the responsibility of the wealthy” (53). Natasha expresses concern that with so many people in the house, her son Bobik and her daughter Sofia could be exposed to the flu. Upon seeing Anfisa resting, Natasha yells at her sharply for daring to sit down. Anfisa rushes out.