The Northwest Fire District put out nearly 100 car fires in 2021, but it’s often unclear whether those fires are mechanical malfunctions or arson.
This week, the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) held the first training of its kind in Southern Arizona, drawing fire investigators from several states and throughout Arizona.
The training took place at Northwest Fire’s Training Center just outside of Tucson.
On Thursday, the course’s students viewed live car burns and investigated previously burned cars for clues.
Fires not only destroy evidence; they also create it. “You think of this as a puzzle and you’re putting pieces of the puzzle together working back to that original location where the fire originated,” IAAI Training and Education Chair Trace Lawless said.