Flag is very good, nice and simple. A more stylised flame would probably help.
As for programs and such, I just use Paint (and on a couple occassions Gimp, but not for anything reall special). I would suggest you use the vexillology site
Flags of the World. It has a relatively easy to handle database with flag images listed aphabetically by components, represented body, and title. There is also a search engine, but it is not that effective. Basically, find a map with a flame (or whatever) you like, save the map to your computer, edit the source image to issolate the flame, save, paste to the flag you are making, edit to make more visually appealing, save. It sounds like a lengthy process, but it is not nearly as hard as it sounds, especially compared to creating the kind of detailed image you want from scratch without advanced computer graphics knowledge.
EDIT:
@Erik - My mistake. In any case, the flag still looks a little...strange, non-heraldic. Perhaps, for one, if you cleaned up the background. The white specks (I'm guessing they're meant to be stars?) are kind of annoying. The simple plain background defaced with a single emblem isn't all that appealing. You need some way to tie the corwn in better to the rest of the flag, rather than simply sitting there suspended in the middle of nowhere. One option would be to shift the crown to the upper hoist and then place the initials KP beneath it and then doing something to break up the back ground. A different crown, something more heraldic, may also be nice. Perhaps something like
this (there are many more crowns on FOTW too chose from/draw inspiration from). These are all, of course, just suggestions, there are a lot of other options as well.
The people are the Providarians (yes, I know) and they speak English, since it's the future. (Well, mostly.)
) and replaced the hand-drawn MS paint fire:
