IAAI CFI LATEST 2026 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Polyurethane Sofa - ✔✔A fuel item that has the greatest peak heat release rate (in
unconfined burning).
✔✔Pooled Blood under the Body - ✔✔This evidence can be identified, which indicates
pre-death trauma in a fire fatality
✔✔Post-indicator Valve - ✔✔This device is generally used to control the flow of water to
a sprinkler system, hydrant, or another device with underground piping
✔✔Power - ✔✔The rate at which energy is used
✔✔Preservation - ✔✔This concept regarding physical evidence and the fire scene in
general is NOT the sole responsibility of the fire investigator.
✔✔Protection Device - ✔✔The remains of this component of an appliance may indicate
if it was operating at the time of the incident
✔✔Protocol - ✔✔During a major investigation, this agreed-upon procedure is important
to establish and follow when a particular item is deemed evidence.
✔✔Pugilistic Posture - ✔✔A common post-mortem response of the body to heat,
resulting in the contracting of muscles as a direct result of the fire.
✔✔Pyrolysis - ✔✔A process in which material is decomposed, or broken down, into
simpler molecular compounds by the effects of heat alone
✔✔Pyrophoric Material - ✔✔Any substance that spontaneously ignites upon exposure
to atmospheric oxygen.
✔✔Pyrotechnics - ✔✔This item may be found on a boat because they are often used in
firework events
✔✔Radiative Ignition - ✔✔Fire spread from one fuel package to another is generally
caused by WHAT?
✔✔Rate of Fire Growth - ✔✔The ________________________ as determined by
witnesses is highly subjective
✔✔Recalling Observations - ✔✔The primary goal for an investigator recording and
photographing the scene
,✔✔Refueling - ✔✔This process regarding fuel-powered equipment should be done
outside the fire scene perimeter
✔✔Relative Elevation of Damage - ✔✔This characteristic of structural explosion
damage has no direct correlation to the vapor density of the gas-vapor fuel
✔✔Remote Ignition - ✔✔This type of fire spread mechanism has four modes: which are
conduction, flame, hot gas layer radiation, and drop down
✔✔Resistance Heating - ✔✔Type of heating that results from the passing of an
electrical current through a conductor
✔✔Resistance Heating - ✔✔This is caused when electricity flows through a loose
connection
*And, through an oxide interface
✔✔Overhaul - ✔✔During this firefighting strategy, the use of water hoselines should be
restricted and limited, especially in the area of origin.
✔✔Right to Entry - ✔✔Exigency statutes, Search warrant, Verbal or written consent
relate to what key concept when investigating a fire?
✔✔Rigid Polystyrene Panels - ✔✔Which of these material's surface would heat up the
quickest when exposed to radiant flux: oak boards, concrete wall, rigid polystyrene
panels, or gypsum plaster?
✔✔RV and Motor Homes - ✔✔These types of constructions or vehicles are similar in
many ways to fires in houses and mobile homes.
✔✔Secure the Scene - ✔✔The first step to be taken by an investigator at the scene of
an explosion.
✔✔Self-Heating - ✔✔A process whereby a material undergoes a chemical reaction and
increases in temperature solely due to exothermic reactions between the material and
the surrounding atmosphere
✔✔Sequential Photographs - ✔✔Type of photography that is helpful in understanding
the relationship of a small subject to its relative position in a larger area
✔✔Serial Fire-Setting - ✔✔Geographic area, clusters, temporal frequency, and
materials and methods are useful in identifying and establishing this act
, ✔✔Simple Sketch - ✔✔At a minimum, this investigative practice should be done on all
fire scenes
✔✔Fire Size and Duration - ✔✔Determining which pattern was produced at the point of
origin becomes more difficult as WHAT increases?
✔✔Sleeving - ✔✔The softening and loosening of the wire's thermoplastic insulation due
to heating (fire)
✔✔Sloping Sides - ✔✔Whether a hole burned into a horizontal surface was created
from above or below may be identified by examining WHAT?
✔✔Smoldering - ✔✔This type of fire normally produces char that results from thermal
decomposition
✔✔Societal-motivated Arson - ✔✔A subcategory of revenge/retaliation that is generally
not satisfied with a single fire
✔✔Solo - ✔✔Fire scene examinations should NOT be conducted in WHAT MANNER?
✔✔Spalling - ✔✔Damage and fire patterns occurring to concrete that is NOT a positive
indicator of a liquid accelerant
✔✔Specific Gravity - ✔✔The ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a
standard (usually water for a liquid or solid, and air for a gas)
✔✔Specific Gravity of Air - ✔✔The ratio of the average molecular weight of a gas or
vapor to the average molecular weight of air
✔✔Specific Gravity of a liquid or solid - ✔✔The ratio of the mass of a given volume of a
substance to the mass of an equal volume of water (at a temp. of 4C)
✔✔Speed of Fire Growth - ✔✔This fire characteristic is NOT indicated by the angle of
the borders of the V pattern
✔✔Spoliation - ✔✔This concept does NOT mean that an item of evidence cannot be
removed from the fire scene in order to preserve it or protect it from theft, for instance.
✔✔Spontaneous Combustion - ✔✔What fire process is vehicle motor oil NOT prone to
undergo
✔✔Spontaneous Combustion - ✔✔A phenomenon that does NOT occur to human
bodies (not supported by evidence)
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Polyurethane Sofa - ✔✔A fuel item that has the greatest peak heat release rate (in
unconfined burning).
✔✔Pooled Blood under the Body - ✔✔This evidence can be identified, which indicates
pre-death trauma in a fire fatality
✔✔Post-indicator Valve - ✔✔This device is generally used to control the flow of water to
a sprinkler system, hydrant, or another device with underground piping
✔✔Power - ✔✔The rate at which energy is used
✔✔Preservation - ✔✔This concept regarding physical evidence and the fire scene in
general is NOT the sole responsibility of the fire investigator.
✔✔Protection Device - ✔✔The remains of this component of an appliance may indicate
if it was operating at the time of the incident
✔✔Protocol - ✔✔During a major investigation, this agreed-upon procedure is important
to establish and follow when a particular item is deemed evidence.
✔✔Pugilistic Posture - ✔✔A common post-mortem response of the body to heat,
resulting in the contracting of muscles as a direct result of the fire.
✔✔Pyrolysis - ✔✔A process in which material is decomposed, or broken down, into
simpler molecular compounds by the effects of heat alone
✔✔Pyrophoric Material - ✔✔Any substance that spontaneously ignites upon exposure
to atmospheric oxygen.
✔✔Pyrotechnics - ✔✔This item may be found on a boat because they are often used in
firework events
✔✔Radiative Ignition - ✔✔Fire spread from one fuel package to another is generally
caused by WHAT?
✔✔Rate of Fire Growth - ✔✔The ________________________ as determined by
witnesses is highly subjective
✔✔Recalling Observations - ✔✔The primary goal for an investigator recording and
photographing the scene
,✔✔Refueling - ✔✔This process regarding fuel-powered equipment should be done
outside the fire scene perimeter
✔✔Relative Elevation of Damage - ✔✔This characteristic of structural explosion
damage has no direct correlation to the vapor density of the gas-vapor fuel
✔✔Remote Ignition - ✔✔This type of fire spread mechanism has four modes: which are
conduction, flame, hot gas layer radiation, and drop down
✔✔Resistance Heating - ✔✔Type of heating that results from the passing of an
electrical current through a conductor
✔✔Resistance Heating - ✔✔This is caused when electricity flows through a loose
connection
*And, through an oxide interface
✔✔Overhaul - ✔✔During this firefighting strategy, the use of water hoselines should be
restricted and limited, especially in the area of origin.
✔✔Right to Entry - ✔✔Exigency statutes, Search warrant, Verbal or written consent
relate to what key concept when investigating a fire?
✔✔Rigid Polystyrene Panels - ✔✔Which of these material's surface would heat up the
quickest when exposed to radiant flux: oak boards, concrete wall, rigid polystyrene
panels, or gypsum plaster?
✔✔RV and Motor Homes - ✔✔These types of constructions or vehicles are similar in
many ways to fires in houses and mobile homes.
✔✔Secure the Scene - ✔✔The first step to be taken by an investigator at the scene of
an explosion.
✔✔Self-Heating - ✔✔A process whereby a material undergoes a chemical reaction and
increases in temperature solely due to exothermic reactions between the material and
the surrounding atmosphere
✔✔Sequential Photographs - ✔✔Type of photography that is helpful in understanding
the relationship of a small subject to its relative position in a larger area
✔✔Serial Fire-Setting - ✔✔Geographic area, clusters, temporal frequency, and
materials and methods are useful in identifying and establishing this act
, ✔✔Simple Sketch - ✔✔At a minimum, this investigative practice should be done on all
fire scenes
✔✔Fire Size and Duration - ✔✔Determining which pattern was produced at the point of
origin becomes more difficult as WHAT increases?
✔✔Sleeving - ✔✔The softening and loosening of the wire's thermoplastic insulation due
to heating (fire)
✔✔Sloping Sides - ✔✔Whether a hole burned into a horizontal surface was created
from above or below may be identified by examining WHAT?
✔✔Smoldering - ✔✔This type of fire normally produces char that results from thermal
decomposition
✔✔Societal-motivated Arson - ✔✔A subcategory of revenge/retaliation that is generally
not satisfied with a single fire
✔✔Solo - ✔✔Fire scene examinations should NOT be conducted in WHAT MANNER?
✔✔Spalling - ✔✔Damage and fire patterns occurring to concrete that is NOT a positive
indicator of a liquid accelerant
✔✔Specific Gravity - ✔✔The ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a
standard (usually water for a liquid or solid, and air for a gas)
✔✔Specific Gravity of Air - ✔✔The ratio of the average molecular weight of a gas or
vapor to the average molecular weight of air
✔✔Specific Gravity of a liquid or solid - ✔✔The ratio of the mass of a given volume of a
substance to the mass of an equal volume of water (at a temp. of 4C)
✔✔Speed of Fire Growth - ✔✔This fire characteristic is NOT indicated by the angle of
the borders of the V pattern
✔✔Spoliation - ✔✔This concept does NOT mean that an item of evidence cannot be
removed from the fire scene in order to preserve it or protect it from theft, for instance.
✔✔Spontaneous Combustion - ✔✔What fire process is vehicle motor oil NOT prone to
undergo
✔✔Spontaneous Combustion - ✔✔A phenomenon that does NOT occur to human
bodies (not supported by evidence)
