What does heat shadowing indicate in fire investigations?

Heat shadowing refers to a phenomenon observed during fire investigations where certain areas show signs of less damage or lower intensity of heat exposure, indicating a pattern of heat distribution that is not uniform. This discontinuity in the pattern suggests that there were interruptions in heat transfer, often due to obstacles or materials that prevented heat from reaching certain areas.

In a scenario where heat shadowing is present, investigators can infer that there were specific items, such as furniture or structural components, that shielded parts of the environment from the heat produced by the fire. This can guide them in determining the fire's origin and the materials that might have influenced its behavior.

Understanding heat shadowing is crucial for fire investigators as it helps them reconstruct the sequence of events during a fire and identify the primary heat sources. The presence of heat shadowing can be crucial in differentiating between accidental fires and those that may have had external influences or intentional ignitions.