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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Coordinate wildfire investigation
   • Roles and responsibilities of agencies or organisations and support personnel involved in the wildfire investigation are confirmed
2. Cooperation of personnel from a range of agencies/organisations consistent with their designated roles and responsibilities for a wildfire investigation is achieved
3. Information required by fire investigator from personnel from other agencies or organisations is identified, sought and received
4. Activities of personnel involved in the wildfire investigation are coordinated, in accordance with organisational procedures, to enable an efficient and effective investigation
5. Personal protective clothing and equipment is used, in accordance with organisational procedures
6. Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) procedures appropriate to the wildfire incident are followed
7. Secure fire scene and preserve evidence
   • Legal obligations of fire investigators are adhered to throughout the investigation
8. Methods of scene security prior to examination are implemented, in accordance with organisational procedures
9. Procedures to monitor and log access to a wildfire scene are identified and applied
10. Strategies for locating, collecting and evidence are implemented, in accordance with organisational procedures
11. Methods of preservation of evidence at a wildfire scene are implemented
12. Scene is protected from unnecessary damage, destruction or contamination
13. Conduct scene investigation
    • Investigation activities are coordinated with Incident Controller, in accordance with organisational procedures, when active fire management operations are still occurring in relation to the incident
14. Fire incident information, data and records are collected and assessed, in accordance with organisational procedures
15. Witness information is obtained
16. Survey of scene is conducted to identify hazards and to preserve areas or items of evidential value
17. Effect of fuels, weather and topography on wildfire development and spread are identified
18. Effects of firefighting actions on fire scene and investigation are assessed
19. Fire scene is reviewed, in accordance with organisational procedures, to determine areas of interest and to record observation of factors which may have a bearing on the determination of the origin and cause or development of wildfire
20. Physical indicators related to path of fire or development of wildfire are identified, assessed and recorded
21. Indicators of damage or destruction of assets caused by wildfire are identified, in accordance with organisational procedures
22. Cause of fire, based on recognised cause categories, is determined by wildfire investigation
23. Identify and collect evidence to investigate a wildfire
    • Control, comparison and residual samples are identified and extracted, in accordance with organisational procedures requirements
24. Samples are protected to avoid contamination and to ensure continuity of evidence
25. Samples are recorded, collected, packaged and secured, in accordance with organisational continuity of evidence protocols and procedures
26. Procedures for capturing fire scene records are implemented
27. Forensic and physical evidence is interpreted
28. Organisational and legal reports are completed, in accordance with organisational procedures
29. Analyse information to determine origin and cause of fire
    • Collected information and evidence is analysed and interpreted
30. Fire origin and cause determination theories are developed and assessed using organisationally approved scientific methods, in accordance with organisational procedures
31. Findings are reported and documented, in accordance with organisational procedures and policies
32. Evidence is secured for subsequent action, in accordance with organisational procedures
33. Wildfire investigation report is completed and forwarded to relevant authorities and stakeholders

Range Statement

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment. Non-essential conditions may be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

origin and cause determination must include

burn indicators advancing or head fire backing or heel fire lateral or flanking fire angle and depth of char indicators ash, cupping and curling indicators damage differential indicators die out pattern indicators foliage or leaf freeze indicators grass stem indicators identification of ignition sources protection indicators scene observation, interpretation and processing sooting and staining indicators transition zone v-pattern indicators wildfire behaviour including weather, fuel load and topography wildfire spread

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