What are smoke deposits considered to be?

Smoke deposits are best understood as hot products of combustion formed during the burning of materials. When a fire occurs, the combustion process generates various gases and particles, including smoke, which is a mixture of solid, liquid, and gas particles. These smoke deposits contain remnants of the materials that were consumed by the fire.

The temperature of the smoke itself during a fire can be quite high, contributing to the classification as hot products. As smoke disperses and cools, it can leave behind soot and other particulate matter on surfaces, which are indicative of the fire's behavior and the fuel sources involved.

Understanding smoke deposits as hot products of combustion helps investigators assess the fire's intensity and dynamic behavior, further aiding in determining fire patterns and potential implications for fire origin analysis.