LRFD Hosts Regional Basic Fire Cause and Origin Investigation Training

A group of people in a classroom setting attending a fire safety training session led by a speaker.
A classroom setting where individuals attend a presentation about the Oregon State Fire Marshal, focusing on legal aspects.
A group of emergency responders in safety gear at a scene with vehicles and a building in a grassy area.
A damaged room shows fire impact, with firefighters and a drill present, indicating an active response to the situation.
The image shows a group of individuals in safety gear, possibly discussing emergency response at a rural location.
Firefighters assess damage outside a burnt structure, with one person inspecting charred materials as others watch.
A heavily burned mattress lies on the floor of a room, showing extensive fire damage and debris scattered around.
The image shows a water heater with some visible wear and a warning label, possibly indicating maintenance needs.
The image shows two workers in protective gear inside a building, likely involved in a cleanup or restoration task.
The image shows emergency responders, including firefighters, at a scene with equipment and a vehicle in a grassy area.
The image shows a damaged kitchen with fire and smoke damage, including a burnt stove and cabinets.
The image shows a charred wall and a burnt branch near a window, indicating possible fire damage to the area.
A burnt recliner chair sits in a damaged room, with debris and charred marks on the floor and walls.
Firefighters investigate a burnt area in a home, with a focus on a charred bed and surrounding damage.
A room with a heavily charred mattress, firefighters inspecting the damage, likely from a fire incident.
Firefighters and a crew assess damage in a kitchen, with a mix of tools and safety gear visible, indicating emergency response.
Three firefighters are assessing a damaged room, wearing protective gear and face masks, with tools and paperwork visible.
A group of people in a classroom setting attending a fire safety training session led by a speaker.
A classroom setting where individuals attend a presentation about the Oregon State Fire Marshal, focusing on legal aspects.
A group of emergency responders in safety gear at a scene with vehicles and a building in a grassy area.
A damaged room shows fire impact, with firefighters and a drill present, indicating an active response to the situation.
The image shows a group of individuals in safety gear, possibly discussing emergency response at a rural location.
Firefighters assess damage outside a burnt structure, with one person inspecting charred materials as others watch.
A heavily burned mattress lies on the floor of a room, showing extensive fire damage and debris scattered around.
The image shows a water heater with some visible wear and a warning label, possibly indicating maintenance needs.
The image shows two workers in protective gear inside a building, likely involved in a cleanup or restoration task.
The image shows emergency responders, including firefighters, at a scene with equipment and a vehicle in a grassy area.
The image shows a damaged kitchen with fire and smoke damage, including a burnt stove and cabinets.
The image shows a charred wall and a burnt branch near a window, indicating possible fire damage to the area.
A burnt recliner chair sits in a damaged room, with debris and charred marks on the floor and walls.
Firefighters investigate a burnt area in a home, with a focus on a charred bed and surrounding damage.
A room with a heavily charred mattress, firefighters inspecting the damage, likely from a fire incident.
Firefighters and a crew assess damage in a kitchen, with a mix of tools and safety gear visible, indicating emergency response.
Three firefighters are assessing a damaged room, wearing protective gear and face masks, with tools and paperwork visible.

Lookingglass Rural Fire District was proud to host a full weekend of fire investigation training on April 18–19, 2026. Nine participants from North Douglas Fire & EMS, Greenacres RFPD, North Bend Fire, Glide RFPD, Tenmile RFD, and LRFD came together for this valuable educational opportunity, dedicating their weekend to strengthening their knowledge and skills in service to their communities.

Prior to the weekend session, participants completed 11 hours of prerequisite coursework. The in-person portion of the class added another 16 hours of instruction and practical application. Saturday consisted of eight hours of classroom training focused on the fundamentals of basic fire cause and origin investigation. That evening, instructors and standby personnel prepared multiple fire sets to create realistic investigation scenarios for the field portion of the course.

On Sunday, participants conducted basic on-scene fire cause and origin investigations using the fire sets prepared the night before. After completing their field work, teams returned to LRFD to organize their findings, prepare their conclusions, and present their investigations to the class. Each team was required to explain and defend its findings, answer follow-up questions, and support its conclusions with evidence gathered during the investigation process.

This training is especially important because Oregon law requires fire departments and fire districts to investigate fires within their jurisdiction in order to determine cause and origin. These investigations are a critical part of the fire service mission. They help identify how fires start, support fire prevention efforts, and ensure that potential evidence is recognized and preserved when necessary.

All firefighters receive training in basic fire cause and origin recognition, evidence awareness, and scene preservation. However, during an active incident, the immediate priority is always life safety, incident stabilization, and extinguishment. Once the scene is made safe, determining cause and origin can sometimes be more difficult. Training such as this helps firefighters better understand what to look for, how to document fire conditions, and how to preserve important indicators that may otherwise be lost.

Fire investigation also serves a larger purpose. Information collected from these incidents contributes to fire data and research used to improve building safety, fire prevention strategies, public education, and code development. In short, this work helps make homes and communities safer for everyone.

LRFD would like to thank the instructors who gave their time to pass along their experience and knowledge to the next generation of responders. We would also like to thank the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office for participating in the training and for the support they provide to local departments when assistance is needed in fire investigations.