Visible fire effects should lead investigators to identify what?

Visible fire effects are critical indicators that help investigators determine a fire's origin and cause. These effects, which include burn patterns, char marks, and damage extent, provide vital information about how the fire spread and where it started. Investigators analyze these characteristics to ascertain if the fire was accidental or intentional.

For instance, the way materials burn can reveal whether a particular substance contributed to the fire's intensity or direction. Understanding these patterns allows investigators to reconstruct the fire's behavior and pinpoint its source, which is essential for presenting findings in legal settings or preventing future incidents. Thus, the significance of the visible fire effects directly correlates to their function in identifying the fire's starting point and the factors that led to its ignition.