阿拉斯加的环境给火灾调查人员带来了真正独特的挑战. 调查人员遇到了世界上许多地方都没有的天气状况. 彩宝网平台一年中大约有8个月在冰天雪地里工作，极端温度从零下20华氏度到零下45华氏度不等. 再加上长时间的黑暗(冬至期间每天长达19小时)，这些极端温度给火灾调查人员和设备带来了许多问题.
在许多方面，在寒冷的天气进行火灾调查与在温暖的天气没有什么不同. Whether the temperature is minus 40°F or 80°F above, the same steps noted in NFPA 921 must be taken and the same procedures followed. 然而, 严寒, 大雪和危险的冰堆积使一切变得更加复杂和耗时——从进入一个场景到乘坐飞机往返一个地点. 这可能会导致研究者的沮丧和糟糕的决策. 以下是调查阿拉斯加火灾时面临的一些挑战.
Equipment Effectiveness, Availability and Costs
Access to equipment is a problem in most areas of Alaska. While most fire scene excavation equipment is available in major communities, from simple hand tools to larger excavators, 在较偏远的社区，一些设备的可用性有限或根本不存在. 在较小的社区, 比如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. 此外，很少有重型设备操作员在冬季将设备放在室内. 大部分设备将在10月中下旬停放在室外，直到4月中下旬才会开始. 那些真正准备好设备的公司需要时间来部署设备.
Costs associated with equipment can often get expensive. 例如，大型新鲜空气加热器是有效的，但有点昂贵的操作. 在火灾现场使用1米BTU加热器大约8小时需要大约32加仑的燃料. With current prices of heating oil at $5.65 per gallon, the heating cost would be about $180 just for the fuel. 然后再加上租用和移动加热器的费用，以及让承包商或修复公司在建筑物上搭帐篷或盖住窗户以保持热量的相关费用.
Investigator Health and Safety
在北极工作可能很危险，因此，调查员的健康和安全至关重要. 如NFPA 921所述, 第十三章(安全), 作为彩宝网平台正常工作的一部分，遇到的火场气氛变化很快, may contain a combination of respiratory hazards, and can be an immediate danger to life and health.
具体来说，进入火灾现场更具挑战性，并产生了新的安全问题. 北极的天气条件可以在任何地方产生2-5英寸的冰或2-5英尺的雪, 让简单的360度环行变成了一项艰巨的任务. The weather also helps create conditions that produce hidden hazards, 比如洞, depressions and down power lines.
The safety of the fire scene is also dependent on the structure, the aspects of the fire and fire suppression efforts. 大雪荷载和大量的冰积聚在已经结构受损的建筑物上，可能会削弱结构，造成不稳定和危险的情况. Depending on how much water is used, fire suppression efforts may create ice build-up problems at the scene, increasing the likelihood of slips, trips and falls as the investigator walks on uneven, 冻, 光滑的表面. 软, 毛茸茸的, fiberglass insulation bat can also become a 冻, sharp object that can easily cut the investigator.
Additionally, we struggle with our winter gear while working the fire scene. 保暖是必须的, 然而, 寒冷的气温加上许多层的衣服，使彩宝网平台很难四处走动和工作. 像厚厚的冬季手套这样的东西，很难抓住和抓住物品. 使用铲子、耙子、撬棒或斧头，如果你不能抓住它们，就会成为一个安全问题.
最后, 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
在寒冷的温度下收集证据和记录现场存在许多障碍. 彩宝网平台使用很多现代科技，比如录音机、ipad、数码相机和扫描仪. 但在寒冷的天气里，像用笔写字这样的基本任务可能会出现问题. 可见性是另一个问题. 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., 下面的冷空气, 在北极冬季形成的较温和的空气非常适合形成冰雾，但对空气污染也特别敏感. 汽车尾气, vapors 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.
有证据表明. 通常彩宝网平台寻找、收集和分析证据来帮助彩宝网平台发展理论和假设. 但在彩宝网平台寒冷的气候下，很难从火灾现场找到和提取证据. Because most fires are suppressed using water, 而且火灾现场通常没有暖气因为经常断电, 火灾碎片结冰. 在冰面上挖掘和切割来收集证据最终成为一项艰巨的任务, 非常耗时的任务. 一旦恢复, 它几乎不可能在现场进行检查，必须在检查和包装运往实验室之前将其带到一个地区解冻.
总而言之, 阿拉斯加广袤的土地和崎岖的地形，以及严寒的气候和有限的照明条件，为火灾调查人员提供了一些独特的挑战，他们最终学会了适应和克服. But cold weather is not just an issue for Alaskan fire investigators. 收集, 在寒冷的天气里记录和恢复证据对所有调查人员来说都是一个困难的前景. Learn more about Jensen Hughes’ comprehensive fire investigation services 以及彩宝网平台对火灾科学的深入了解如何帮助确定任何气候下任何彩宝网的火灾起源和原因.
