Integrating digital forensics into fire scene investigation: Enhancing reconstruction and analysis

Traditional forensic methodologies are typically grounded in the natural sciences, causality, mathematics, and statistics. Within these frameworks, forensic methods are employed to determine the cause, point of origin, and spread of a fire. However, such methods lack the capacity to establish precise timing, reconstruct pre-incident events, or determine the sequence in which those events occurred. Moreover, in cases involving criminal activity, the fire scene alone cannot fully account for the events and planning phases that preceded the incident. This is precisely where digital forensics (DF) demonstrates its value. This integration is what the present conceptual paper seeks to highlight: the combination of traditional fire scene investigation and DF . • Digital forensics (DF) can provide timestamped sequences of events at a fire scene. • DF can support the analysis of timestamped statements derived from eyewitness observations. • Conventional DF techniques can assist in uncovering information related to motives, planning, preparations, and the execution of an act of arson. • DF can serve to either strengthen or weaken working hypotheses concerning the circumstances of a fire scene.