Fire causes and ignition

Accidental and deliberate fires all have an "origin" and a "cause", the former being the location where a fire began (ignited) and the latter being the reason for the co-existence of fuel, oxygen and heat in proportions such as to cause ignition. Fire and arson investigators examine and interpret post-fire evidence so as to ascertain the origin and cause of fires. Useful information is given relating to this conclusion, including fuel properties, heat transfer, heat source groups, chemical chain reaction, spontaneous ignition, technical information, and fire-causing heat sources.