Fire Science 101
This process is the rapid combination of oxygen with another substance, creating heat and light.
What is combustion?
This is the specific location where arson investigators begin their search.
What is the point of origin?
Before an arson investigation can even begin, this must happen to the fire first.
What is extinguishing the fire?
This is the most common reason or motivation behind the crime of arson.
What is to conceal a crime?
These specialized animals are used to sniff out tiny traces of fuel at a scene.
What are accelerant-sniffing dogs?
To sustain a fire, heat must be applied to initiate the reaction, and this must be generated to keep it going.
What is sufficient heat?
These are trails of accelerant used to intentionally spread fire from one room or area to another.
What are streamers?
This protocol must be followed strictly when packaging fire evidence to track who handled it.
What is the chain of custody?
Burning an unoccupied building specifically to collect money from a policy is classified as this.
What is insurance fraud (or 2nd Degree Arson)?
This type of electronic equipment can detect the presence of fuel vapors in the air.
What is a portable hydrocarbon detector?
For a fire to start, this must be available in a high enough quantity to combine with the fuel.
What is oxygen?
Fires typically move in this direction while searching for oxygen.
What is upward?
Evidence from a fire should never be stored in these two common office/household items.
What are envelopes and plastic bags?
This specific degree of arson applies to burning an unoccupied house or an empty barn.
What is 2nd Degree Arson?
These are the primary substances that hydrocarbon detectors are designed to find.
What are hydrocarbons (or vapors)?
While vital to many chemical reactions, the transformation of this specific gas is not required for combustion.
What is hydrogen gas?
Although a common myth, a typical fire does not burn in this specific letter-shaped pattern.
What is an X pattern?
Contrary to popular belief, arson investigators do not have to start their investigation by questioning these people.
Who are eyewitnesses?
This is the legal status of any fire that is set deliberately.
What is arson?
While they have specialized tools, investigators do not identify accelerants simply by trying to do this with their own noses.
What is smelling for gasoline?
This is the collective name for the three requirements (fuel, oxygen, and heat) needed to initiate and sustain a fire.
What is the fire triangle (or the three requirements for combustion)?
These physical marks, which are later tested by experts, are one of the primary ways investigators identify where accelerants were used.
What are pour patterns?
While common in many cases, these substances are not always present or used in every arson crime.
What are accelerants?
If a building is occupied rather than empty, the arson charge would likely move from 2nd degree to this higher classification.
What is 1st Degree Arson?
These are the gaseous forms of accelerants that investigators look for, which are highly flammable.
What are vapors?