CFEI Study Guide – Complete Question Bank & Correct Answers for
Certification Exam (Latest 2025/2026)
Evidence - Demonstrative - correct answerTangible items; see, touch, smell, hear.
Evidence - Documentary - correct answerWritten form; business records, banking,
calendars, phone records, fire reports, etc...
Evidence - Testimonial - correct answerCompetent live witness speaking under oath;
two types; fact and expert
Evidence - illustrative - correct answerPhotos, sketches, maps, diagrams. Modes are
frequently used at trial.
Evidence - illustravtive - correct answerPhotos and Videos; what, why, how, when
Evidence collection - correct answerDocument in place, document the collection, use
proper container, (flag, bag, & tag)
Evidence - collection - correct answerFuel gas powered tools outside the perimeter.
Find out where tools were refuels.
Heat transfer - correct answerConduction, convection, radiation
Interviews - correct answerPurpose of the interview; prepare for the interview, document
the interview
Vehicle Fires - correct answerSparks from an aluminum wheel are not a competent
ignition source.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerThe most common source of an open flame in a vehicle is
an exhaust system backfire out of a carburetor.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerCarburetor backfire leaves a distinct pattern on the hood.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerTwo basic fuel systems: vacuum/low pressure carbureted
system, and high-pressure, fuel injected system.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerLoose battery connections; not over-current protected;
loose connections can result in intermittent arcing.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerPower steering fluid: Flashpoint 347-356*F, autoignition
680-720*F.
, Vehicle Fires - correct answerAutomatic Transmission Fluid: Flashpoint 302-536*F,
autoignition 626-716*F.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerOvercharging a battery does not cause it to explode.
Explosions - correct answerLow order damage: characterized by walls bulge out or laid
down, virtually intact, next to the structure. roofs slightly left.
Explosions - correct answerHigh order damage: shattering of the structure, producing
small debris pieces.
Explosions - correct answerPost blast effects: burned debris away-fire preceded,
unburned the debris away-no fire.
Explosions - correct answerDust explosions: most often occur in confined areas of
relatively wide dispersal.
Explosions - correct answerSearch 1.5 times further than the farthest piece of debris.
Fire effects/ fire patterns - correct answerChar shrinks as it forms. More reliable for
evaluating fire spread, deduce the direction based on depth, large shiny blisters
(alligatoring) is not evidence of the use of an accelerant.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerSpalling: loss of surface material due to
cracking, breaking, chipping, breakdown in surface tensile strength, moisture present in
the concrete, may appear lighter in color.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerCrazed glass: caused by rapid cooling.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerLight bulbs 25W or more "pull" (gases expand
and bubble out); 25W or less contain a vacuum and can pull in.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerAnnealing (softening) of springs may provide
clues concerning direction, duration, and intensity.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerSaddle burns - A U-shaped burn pattern found
on the top of floor joists, caused by fire burning down through the floor. Often, a saddle
burn is caused by a burning liquid on the floor or radiant heat from a material close to
the floor. Saddle burns display deep charring.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerInverted cone burns are indicative of the
vertical flame plume not reaching the ceiling, short-lived fires with a low HRR
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerMelting Temperatures: Copper 1981*F;
Aluminum 1220*F; Steel 2760*F
Certification Exam (Latest 2025/2026)
Evidence - Demonstrative - correct answerTangible items; see, touch, smell, hear.
Evidence - Documentary - correct answerWritten form; business records, banking,
calendars, phone records, fire reports, etc...
Evidence - Testimonial - correct answerCompetent live witness speaking under oath;
two types; fact and expert
Evidence - illustrative - correct answerPhotos, sketches, maps, diagrams. Modes are
frequently used at trial.
Evidence - illustravtive - correct answerPhotos and Videos; what, why, how, when
Evidence collection - correct answerDocument in place, document the collection, use
proper container, (flag, bag, & tag)
Evidence - collection - correct answerFuel gas powered tools outside the perimeter.
Find out where tools were refuels.
Heat transfer - correct answerConduction, convection, radiation
Interviews - correct answerPurpose of the interview; prepare for the interview, document
the interview
Vehicle Fires - correct answerSparks from an aluminum wheel are not a competent
ignition source.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerThe most common source of an open flame in a vehicle is
an exhaust system backfire out of a carburetor.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerCarburetor backfire leaves a distinct pattern on the hood.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerTwo basic fuel systems: vacuum/low pressure carbureted
system, and high-pressure, fuel injected system.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerLoose battery connections; not over-current protected;
loose connections can result in intermittent arcing.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerPower steering fluid: Flashpoint 347-356*F, autoignition
680-720*F.
, Vehicle Fires - correct answerAutomatic Transmission Fluid: Flashpoint 302-536*F,
autoignition 626-716*F.
Vehicle Fires - correct answerOvercharging a battery does not cause it to explode.
Explosions - correct answerLow order damage: characterized by walls bulge out or laid
down, virtually intact, next to the structure. roofs slightly left.
Explosions - correct answerHigh order damage: shattering of the structure, producing
small debris pieces.
Explosions - correct answerPost blast effects: burned debris away-fire preceded,
unburned the debris away-no fire.
Explosions - correct answerDust explosions: most often occur in confined areas of
relatively wide dispersal.
Explosions - correct answerSearch 1.5 times further than the farthest piece of debris.
Fire effects/ fire patterns - correct answerChar shrinks as it forms. More reliable for
evaluating fire spread, deduce the direction based on depth, large shiny blisters
(alligatoring) is not evidence of the use of an accelerant.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerSpalling: loss of surface material due to
cracking, breaking, chipping, breakdown in surface tensile strength, moisture present in
the concrete, may appear lighter in color.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerCrazed glass: caused by rapid cooling.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerLight bulbs 25W or more "pull" (gases expand
and bubble out); 25W or less contain a vacuum and can pull in.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerAnnealing (softening) of springs may provide
clues concerning direction, duration, and intensity.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerSaddle burns - A U-shaped burn pattern found
on the top of floor joists, caused by fire burning down through the floor. Often, a saddle
burn is caused by a burning liquid on the floor or radiant heat from a material close to
the floor. Saddle burns display deep charring.
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerInverted cone burns are indicative of the
vertical flame plume not reaching the ceiling, short-lived fires with a low HRR
Fire effects/fire patterns - correct answerMelting Temperatures: Copper 1981*F;
Aluminum 1220*F; Steel 2760*F
