CFEI STUDY GUIDE EXAM 2025/2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
Evidence - Demonstrative - ANS Tangible items; see, touch, smell, hear.
Evidence - Documentary - ANS Written form; business records, banking, calendars, phone
records, fire reports, etc...
Evidence - Testimonial - ANS Competent live witness speaking under oath; two types; fact
and expert
Evidence - illustrative - ANS Photos, sketches, maps, diagrams. Modes are frequently used at
trial.
Evidence - illustravtive - ANS Photos and Videos; what, why, how, when
Evidence collection - ANS Document in place, document the collection, use proper container,
(flag, bag, & tag)
Evidence - collection - ANS Fuel gas powered tools outside the perimeter. Find out where
tools were refuels.
Heat transfer - ANS Conduction, convection, radiation
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Interviews - ANS Purpose of the interview; prepare for the interview, document the interview
Vehicle Fires - ANS Sparks from an aluminum wheel are not a competent ignition source.
Vehicle Fires - ANS The most common source of an open flame in a vehicle is an exhaust
system backfire out of a carburetor.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Carburetor backfire leaves a distinct pattern on the hood.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Two basic fuel systems: vacuum/low pressure carbureted system, and
high-pressure, fuel injected system.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Loose battery connections; not over-current protected; loose connections
can result in intermittent arcing.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Power steering fluid: Flashpoint 347-356*F, autoignition 680-720*F.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Automatic Transmission Fluid: Flashpoint 302-536*F, autoignition 626-
716*F.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Overcharging a battery does not cause it to explode.
Explosions - ANS Low order damage: characterized by walls bulge out or laid down, virtually
intact, next to the structure. roofs slightly left.
Explosions - ANS High order damage: shattering of the structure, producing small debris
pieces.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Explosions - ANS Post blast effects: burned debris away-fire preceded, unburned the debris
away-no fire.
Explosions - ANS Dust explosions: most often occur in confined areas of relatively wide
dispersal.
Explosions - ANS Search 1.5 times further than the farthest piece of debris.
Fire effects/ fire patterns - ANS Char 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 - ANS Spalling: 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 - ANS Crazed glass: caused by rapid cooling.
Fire effects/fire patterns - ANS Light bulbs 25W or more "pull" (gases expand and bubble
out); 25W or less contain a vacuum and can pull in.
Fire effects/fire patterns - ANS Annealing (softening) of springs may provide clues concerning
direction, duration, and intensity.
Fire effects/fire patterns - ANS Saddle 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 - ANS Inverted cone burns are indicative of the vertical flame plume
not reaching the ceiling, short-lived fires with a low HRR
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
Evidence - Demonstrative - ANS Tangible items; see, touch, smell, hear.
Evidence - Documentary - ANS Written form; business records, banking, calendars, phone
records, fire reports, etc...
Evidence - Testimonial - ANS Competent live witness speaking under oath; two types; fact
and expert
Evidence - illustrative - ANS Photos, sketches, maps, diagrams. Modes are frequently used at
trial.
Evidence - illustravtive - ANS Photos and Videos; what, why, how, when
Evidence collection - ANS Document in place, document the collection, use proper container,
(flag, bag, & tag)
Evidence - collection - ANS Fuel gas powered tools outside the perimeter. Find out where
tools were refuels.
Heat transfer - ANS Conduction, convection, radiation
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Interviews - ANS Purpose of the interview; prepare for the interview, document the interview
Vehicle Fires - ANS Sparks from an aluminum wheel are not a competent ignition source.
Vehicle Fires - ANS The most common source of an open flame in a vehicle is an exhaust
system backfire out of a carburetor.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Carburetor backfire leaves a distinct pattern on the hood.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Two basic fuel systems: vacuum/low pressure carbureted system, and
high-pressure, fuel injected system.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Loose battery connections; not over-current protected; loose connections
can result in intermittent arcing.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Power steering fluid: Flashpoint 347-356*F, autoignition 680-720*F.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Automatic Transmission Fluid: Flashpoint 302-536*F, autoignition 626-
716*F.
Vehicle Fires - ANS Overcharging a battery does not cause it to explode.
Explosions - ANS Low order damage: characterized by walls bulge out or laid down, virtually
intact, next to the structure. roofs slightly left.
Explosions - ANS High order damage: shattering of the structure, producing small debris
pieces.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Explosions - ANS Post blast effects: burned debris away-fire preceded, unburned the debris
away-no fire.
Explosions - ANS Dust explosions: most often occur in confined areas of relatively wide
dispersal.
Explosions - ANS Search 1.5 times further than the farthest piece of debris.
Fire effects/ fire patterns - ANS Char 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 - ANS Spalling: 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 - ANS Crazed glass: caused by rapid cooling.
Fire effects/fire patterns - ANS Light bulbs 25W or more "pull" (gases expand and bubble
out); 25W or less contain a vacuum and can pull in.
Fire effects/fire patterns - ANS Annealing (softening) of springs may provide clues concerning
direction, duration, and intensity.
Fire effects/fire patterns - ANS Saddle 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 - ANS Inverted cone burns are indicative of the vertical flame plume
not reaching the ceiling, short-lived fires with a low HRR
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
