Fire Investigations in Alaska and the Complications of the Cold Weather

The Alaskan environment poses truly unique challenges for fire investigators. We operate in freezing temperatures roughly eight months out of the year, with extreme temperatures ranging from -20°F to -55°F. Coupled with long hours of darkness (up to 19 hours a day during the winter solstice), these temperature extremes cause a multitude of problems for fire investigators and equipment alike. 

In many ways, performing a fire investigation in cold weather is no different than in warm weather. Whether the temperature is -40°F or 80°F above, investigators must take the same steps noted in NFPA 921 and follow the same procedures. However, the cold makes everything more complicated and time-consuming, which can lead to frustration and poor decision-making on the part of the investigator. The following are some of the challenges faced when investigating fires in Alaska.

Equipment Effectiveness, Availability and Cost

Access to equipment is a problem in most areas of Alaska. While most fire scene excavation equipment is available in major communities, access to some equipment, like larger excavators or even simple hand tools, can be limited or non-existent in more remote communities. In smaller communities, such as Utqiagvik/Barrow, heavy equipment must be shipped in by boat, which can be challenging during winter months. 

The impact of cold weather on equipment is another concern. The extreme cold lessens the effectiveness of equipment, especially electronic items like flashlights and cameras. Equipment must be warmed up to keep it functioning. Moreover, very few heavy equipment operators keep their equipment indoors during the winter. Most equipment will be parked outside in mid-to-late October and will not be started until mid-to-late April. The companies that actually keep equipment ready indoors need time to deploy it. 

Costs associated with equipment can often get expensive. For example, large fresh air heaters are effective but somewhat costly to operate. Having a 1 m BTU heater at a fire scene for roughly 8 hours uses about 32 gallons of fuel. With the current price of heating oil at $5.65 per gallon, the heating cost would be about $180 just for the fuel. Then, add the costs for renting and moving the heater, plus the costs associated with hiring a contractor or restoration company to set up a tent over the structure or cover windows to keep the heat in. 

Investigator Health and Safety

Working in the Arctic can be dangerous, so investigator health and safety is paramount. As noted in NFPA 921, Chapter 13 (Safety), the fire ground atmosphere encountered as part of our normal work changes rapidly, may contain a combination of respiratory hazards, and can be an immediate danger to life and health.  

Specifically, access to fire scenes is more challenging, creating a new level of safety concerns. The arctic weather conditions may cause the scene to be covered in up to 5 feet of ice or snow, making the simple task of doing a 360-degree walk-around quite arduous. The weather also helps create conditions that produce hidden hazards, such as holes, depressions and down power lines. 

Fire scene safety is also dependent on the structure, the aspects of the fire and the fire suppression efforts. Heavy snow loads and significant ice build-up on already structurally compromised buildings may weaken the structure, creating a precarious and dangerous situation. Depending on how much water is used, fire suppression efforts may create problems for the investigator. Ice build-up increases the likelihood of slips, trips and falls as the investigator walks on uneven, frozen, slippery surfaces. The soft, fluffy, fibreglass insulation bat can also become a frozen, sharp object that can easily cut the investigator.

Additionally, we struggle with our winter gear while working a fire scene. It is a must to stay warm, yet the cold temperatures and many layers of clothing make it difficult to move around and do our job. Things like thick winter gloves make grabbing and holding onto items challenging. Using a shovel, rake, pry bar or axe can become a safety issue if you can’t hold on to it. 

Finally, the impact of the cold is physically exhausting, making fatigue a serious issue for investigators. Watching our work-rest cycle and staying hydrated is extremely important. Using work-rest cycles also helps keep equipment somewhat warm and functional.

Documenting, Collecting and Recovering Evidence

Gathering evidence and documenting a scene in cold temperatures presents a number of obstacles. We use a lot of modern technology, like recorders, iPads, digital cameras and scanners. But rudimentary tasks like writing with a pen can be problematic in cold temperatures. Visibility is another issue. Under normal circumstances, fire scenes require the use of artificial lighting. But throw in long days with no daylight and things become complicated. 

“Ice fog” is a unique difficulty that Alaskan investigators face. Composed of tiny ice crystals, ice fog can form when temperatures fall below -30 degrees, taking visibility down to zero. Exceptionally strong temperature inversions (i.e., cold air below, milder air above) that develop during Arctic winters are perfect for ice fog formation but also especially sensitive to air pollution. Automobile exhaust, vapours released from power plants, and even the moisture exhaled by people and animals instantly produce ice fog. This fog is present during and after fire suppression efforts, making photography difficult, if not impossible, right after suppression. 

Then there is evidence. Normally, we look for, gather and analyze evidence to help develop our theories and hypotheses. But in our cold climate, evidence is difficult to locate and extract from fire scenes. Because most fires are suppressed using water, and heat is usually lacking at the fire scene due to routine power disconnection, fire debris becomes frozen. Digging and chopping through the ice to gather evidence ultimately becomes a daunting and time-consuming task. Once recovered, it is almost impossible to examine the evidence on-site. Instead, it is taken to an area to thaw before being examined and packaged for shipment to a lab. 

In sum, Alaska’s vast land mass and rough terrain, severe cold climate, and limited lighting conditions provide some unique challenges for fire investigators, who have learned to adapt and overcome. Cold weather, however, is not just an issue for Alaskan fire investigators. Gathering, documenting and recovering evidence in cold weather can be difficult for all investigators. Learn more about Jensen Hughes' comprehensive fire investigation services and how our in-depth knowledge of fire science can help establish a fire's origin and cause in any climate for any industry.