Bayou Cane Fire Investigators are dispatched to property fires to conduct follow-up investigations on fires when the following occurs:

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• Death or fatal fire

• Any suspicious fire

• Any fire where the "origin and/or cause" of the fire is unknown

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Fire investigation, sometimes referred to as "origin and cause", is the systematic analysis of fire-related indicators and the applied knowledge of basic fire science. One of the challenging aspects of fire investigation is the complexity of the investigator's job in relation to fire behavior and materials located at the fire scene. Fires can be caused by or involve many common articles that can influence fire behavior. Fire investigators need to know not only the science of fire behavior, but also need to have a working understanding of many different areas of study including building construction, electricity, human behavior, and the mechanics of vehicles.