What are shiny char blisters on a burned surface called?

Shiny char blisters on a burned surface are referred to as alligatoring. This term is used specifically to describe the pattern that resembles the skin of an alligator, formed when wood or other materials are subjected to intense heat. The blisters arise from the heat causing the surface of the material to expand and bubble, which eventually creates a distinctive, cracked pattern.

This phenomenon often indicates high temperatures during a fire and can provide investigators with vital clues about fire dynamics and behavior. Understanding alligatoring is crucial for fire investigators as it helps them analyze the conditions of a fire scene and determine the fire’s origin, which can be essential for reconstruction of events leading up to the fire. Other terms, like charring, cracking, or pitting, refer to different fire effects, each providing unique information relevant to fire behavior analysis.