Which of the following is NOT an element of determining a fire cause?

Determining the cause of a fire involves identifying elements that directly contribute to the ignition and spread of the fire. The ignition source refers to the object or event that initiated the fire, such as an open flame or electrical spark. An oxidizer present, such as oxygen or other chemicals, plays a crucial role in supporting combustion. The fuel first ignited is also essential to identify, as it helps in understanding how the fire began and what materials were involved in the combustion process.

Firefighter response time, however, does not directly influence the cause of the fire. While it is certainly important in terms of fire management and minimizing damage, it does not help in identifying how or why the fire started. Therefore, it is considered not to be an element in determining the cause of a fire.