1. Kirk’s Fire
Investigation
Sixth Edition
John D. DeHaan
Chapter 1
Introduction
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

2. NFPA 1033
Standard for Professional
Qualifications for Fire
Investigator
2003 Edition
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

3. Administration
• 1.1 Scope
– Standard
•Performance requirements
for fire investigators
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

4. Administration
• 1.2 Purpose
– Standard
•Minimum job performance
requirements for fire
investigator in private and
public sectors
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

5. Administration
• 1.2.2 Purpose
– Duties and job performance
requirements
•Parameters of the job of
fire investigator
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

6. Administration
• 1.3.1 General
– The fire investigator shall be
at least age 18
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

7. Administration
• 1.3.2 General
– The fire investigator shall
have a high school diploma
or equivalent
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

8. Administration
• 1.3.3 General
– Thorough background and
character investigation prior
to accepting an individual as
a candidate for certification
as a fire investigator
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

9. Administration
• 1.3.4 General
– The job performance
requirements for fire
investigator shall be
completed in accordance
with established practices
and procedures or as they are
defined by law or by the
authority having jurisdiction
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

10. Administration
• 1.3.5 General
– Training agencies or
authorities shall establish
program content to prepare
individuals to meet the job
performance requirements
of NFPA 1033
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

11. Administration
• 1.3.6 General
– Evaluation of job
performance requirements
shall be by individuals
qualified to conduct the
evaluation of an investigator
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

12. Administration
• 1.3.7 General
– The fire investigator shall
remain current with
investigation methodology
by attending workshops/
seminars and/or through
professional publications
and journals
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

13. Fire Investigator
• 4.1.1 General
– The fire investigator shall
meet the job performance
requirements defined in
sections 4.2 through 4.7
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

14. Fire Investigator
• 4.1.2 General
– The fire investigator shall
meet the requirements of
4.2.1 through 4.2.3 of NFPA
472
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

15. Fire Investigator
• 4.1.3 General
– The fire investigator shall
employ all elements of the
scientific method as the
operating analytical process
throughout the investigation
and for the drawing of
conclusions
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

16. NFPA 921
Guide for Fire and
Explosion Investigations
2004 Edition
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

17. NFPA 921
2004 Edition
"The Technical Committee on
Fire Investigations shall have
primary responsibility relating to
techniques to be used in
investigating fires….”
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

18. Chapter 1
Administration
• Document scope
– Fire origin
– Fire cause
– Responsibility
– Prevention
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

19. Chapter 1
Administration
• Document purpose
– Establish guidelines
– Recommendations
•Fire explosion investigations
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

20. Chapter 1
Administration
• Not every portion of the
document applies to every fire
or explosion investigation
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

21. Chapter 4
Basic Methodology
• Fire origin and then cause
– Scientific method
•Systematically develop and
prove hypotheses
•Organized approach to fire
investigation
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

22. Chapter 4
Basic Methodology
• Scientific method of fire
investigation
– Recognize the need
– Define the problem
– Collect data
– Analyze data
– Develop hypotheses
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

23. Chapter 4
Basic Methodology
• Scientific method of fire
investigation
– Test hypotheses
– Select final hypothesis
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

24. Chapter 4
Basic Methodology
• Fire investigation
– Receive assignment
– Prepare for investigation
– Conduct the investigation
– Collect evidence
– Analyze evidence
– Prepare incident reports
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

25. The Fire
Problem
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

26. The Fire Problem
• Fire most costly public safety
problem in U.S.
• Only traffic accidents exceed
fire injuries and deaths
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

27. The Fire Problem
• Fire-caused property losses
exceed all crime losses and
rival natural disasters
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

28. The Fire Problem
• 526,000 structure fires occur
annually in the U.S. (2004)
• 1,550,500 total fires occurred
in 2004 in the U.S.
– National Fire Protection
Association
– U.S. Fire Administration
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

29. The Fire Problem
• Structural fires have declined
since 1980s; however, fire
losses are up due to
replacement costs
• $8.3 billion in direct property
losses in 2004
– National Fire Protection
Association
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

30. The Fire Problem
• 91,000 wildland fires destroy
3–8 million acres annually,
with $900 million to $1.6
billion in suppression costs
• Estimated over 300,000
vehicle fires each year in U.S.
– National Fire Protection
Association
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

31. The Fire Problem
• Annual deaths and injuries 1999–
2003
– 3,570–3,950 civilian deaths
– 18,000–21,875 civilians injured
– 100 firefighter deaths
– 40,000 firefighters injured
•National Fire Protection
Association
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

32. The Fire Problem
• Third leading cause of
accidental death under age 15
• Seventh leading cause of
accidental death in U.S.
– National Fire Protection
Association
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

33. The Fire Problem
• Indirect costs of fire
– Lost business income
– Unemployment
– Reduced property values and
tax base
– Destroyed watershed,
timber, wildlife
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

34. The Fire Problem
• Total costs: $130–250 billion
per year in U.S.
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

35. The Fire Investigator
• Role of the fire investigator
– Accurate and efficient fire
cause identification
– Identify accidental fire
causes to lead to improved
products and practices
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

36. The Fire Investigator
• Role of the fire investigator
– Identify incendiary-caused
fires and assist in
prosecution
– Assist in regulatory process
with proper knowledge of
fire prevention
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

37. The Detection
of
Incendiary Fires
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

38. The Detection of
Incendiary Fires
• Arson a leading cause of fire
• 250,000 incendiary fires occur
annually in the U.S.
– Includes structural, wildland
•United States Fire
Administration
– Conservative estimate by NFPA:
37,000 incendiary structure
fires
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

39. The Detection of
Incendiary Fires
• Requires more than origin and
cause determination
– Proper collection of evidence
– Written and verbal
documentation
– Identify perpetrator
– Testify in court
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

40. The Detection of
Incendiary Fires
• Issues
– Some agencies ignore arson
– Arson is a crime against
persons
•Fire may be used as
weapon
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

41. The Detection of
Incendiary Fires
• Issues
– Fire investigations are
difficult
– Fire scenes may be
overwhelming in scope
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

42. The Detection of
Incendiary Fires
• Issues
– Fire must be investigated
prior to establishing cause
– Each fire investigation must
be handled as if it were a
crime scene
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

43. The Detection of
Incendiary Fires
• Issues
– Fire investigation must be
conducted without
preconceived opinions, bias,
or prejudice
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

44. Analytical
Fire
Investigation
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

45. Analytical Fire
Investigation
• Each fire investigation must
have a foundation of an
organized approach
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

46. Analytical Fire
Investigation
• Fire origin and cause must be
established with certainty
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

47. Analytical Fire
Investigation
• Fire science and fire dynamics
must be understood in order
to determine origin and cause
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

48. Analytical Fire
Investigation
• Understanding the role of fuels is
critical
– Thermal conductivity
– Heat capacity
– Ignition
– Flame spread
– Heat of combustion
– Heat release rate
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

49. Scientific Method
of Fire Investigation
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

50. Scientific Method
• Observe an event such as a
fire scene
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

51. Scientific Method
• Define the problem
– Usually to determine how
the fire started
– May include who was
responsible and what factors
contributed to the fire or
deaths or injuries
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

52. Scientific Method
• Collect data
– Information about the event
•Witness interviews
•Scene examination
•Fuel load
•Videos or photographs of
fire in progress
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

53. Scientific Method
• Formulate a working hypothesis
– An estimate of what the first
fuel was
– What ignition source was
present
– How long the fire took to grow
– Etc.
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

54. Scientific Method
• Test the hypothesis against all
available data
– Collect new data from the
scene
– Witnesses
– Literature
– Tests
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

55. Scientific Method
• Test the hypothesis against all
available data
– This includes the formation
of alternative hypotheses
that must be tested
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

56. Scientific Method
• Revise hypothesis as needed
to fit the available data
• Gather new data if needed
– From published sources
– From tests
– From interviews
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

57. Scientific Method
• Reach a final hypothesis,
review it against all data, and
ensure that all other
possibilities are excluded
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

58. Scientific Method
• Report the final conclusion
– Along with other possible
explanations that cannot be
excluded based on available
information
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ

59. Sources
• Sources for guidance in
methods should be peer-
reviewed published guides
– NFPA 921
– NIJ Guide
– Icove and DeHaan, Forensic
Fire Scene
Reconstr uction
DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 6/e
© 2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ