South Australian Country Fire Service Promotions Unit

In a number of incidents, an investigation into the cause of the fire needs to be undertaken.

In the case of structure fires, investigation is undertaken by a Fire Investigator from SA Police (SAPOL), along with a Fire Cause Investigator from the Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS). They will travel all over the state to investigate structure fires that fall within particular criteria.

For Bushfires, investigation is undertaken by a Crime Scene Investigator from SAPOL, along with a Bushfire Investigator from CFS.

The CFS Bushfire Investigators are a mixture of volunteers and paid staff, who have been specifically trained in bushfire investigation.

Any Bushfire where the cause is unknown, suspicious, or the result of behaviour that breaches the SA Fire and Emergency Services Act (such as using an angle grinder on a Fire Ban day), CFS Bushfire Investigators attend and examine the scene, along with a SAPOL Crime Scene Investigator.

Investigators look for signs of what has caused the fire. In this process, they may speak with witnesses and first arriving fire crews. They will examine the scene to determine where the fire started (area or point of origin) and determine what might have started the fire - e.g. lightening, machinery, electric fence shorting out, deliberately lit etc

Photos taken by CFS Promotions Unit