Knowing how and why fires start is the first crucial step to preventing future fires. This information influences activities such as removing faulty products from the market, ensuring safety and construction standards are
complied with, educating the public about fire safety and ensuring that firefighters are informed of developing risks and trained appropriately.
DFES Fire Investigation Officers (FIO) are located throughout Western Australia to support fire officers to establish the origin and cause of all fires attended by DFES.
If a fire is identified as suspicious or deliberate, the Western Australia Police (WAPOL) Arson Squad investigate, apprehend and prosecute those responsible.
The FIAU investigating team:
- Identifies and analyses fire trends.
- Investigates fire incidents.
- Assists WAPOL with malicious ‘false alarm of fire’ prosecutions.
- Provides assistance and information to WAPOL to detect and apprehend arsonists.
- Provides advice to insurance investigators, government agencies & authorities, and the general community.
- Identifies faulty products and work practices which cause fires.
The FIAU will attend fires which:
- Have an unknown cause.
- Are suspicious in nature.
- Involve a fatality.
- Involve life threatening injuries.
- Are politically sensitive.
- Damage significant infrastructure
- Significant accidental fires.