What is the purpose of having Chapter 23 – Incendiary? If there is to be no classification chapter, is not the term incendiary a classification? What I see in this chapter is the old “Red Flags” used by investigators to classify a fire as being intentionally set. The chapter goes into what devices one may find on the scene, possible motives, even talks about the “Classification” of motives. Was not the justification for removing the classification chapter that classification is not part of the scientific method. Almost everything found in this chapter can be found in the NIFRS Arson module where the cause of a fire is classified. To be consistent with the 921 document and the committee’s statement about the classification process not being part of the scientific method should the committee should have removed this chapter also?

Jim Mazerat
Forensic Investigations Group