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In this episode, hosts Scott Kuhlman and Chasity Owens welcome Investigator Justin Buckingham, a Battalion Chief and fire investigator with over 27 years of fire service experience. Recording from the California Conference of Arson Investigators' 70th-anniversary seminar, Justin shares the first part of a compelling case study about the Hopkins Fire that occurred in September 2021.

The case begins with Justin responding to what started as a small quarter-acre vegetation fire that quickly grew to consume 257 acres, destroying 34 houses and over 50 total structures. As the investigation unfolds, Justin details the methodical process of determining the fire's origin, using techniques like examining backing and advancing indicators, and employing tools like the "bulb syringe" for detailed examination of the scene. Surveillance footage from a nearby trucking yard proved crucial, showing a suspect with distinctive features making multiple trips to the area before the fire started.

Through a series of fortunate circumstances, including a chance encounter with the suspect immediately after reviewing the footage, law enforcement was able to identify and apprehend the suspect, Devin Johnson. The investigation led to multiple interviews and a complex legal process spanning several years, complicated by mental competency hearings and changes of venue. The episode ends on a cliffhanger, with the jury deliberating after a challenging trial presentation.

The hosts also discuss upcoming training events, including seminars in Idaho, Mississippi, and Ohio where they will be presenting on artificial intelligence in fire investigation. The episode concludes with their regular segment reviewing a five-star listener review and introducing the word "deflagration" for the next episode's vocabulary discussion.

(To be continued in Episode 17 for the conclusion of the Hopkins Fire case.)

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