Forming Hypotheses

When determining the cause of a fire, scientific methods require all hypotheses that can be supported based on principles of fire science to be considered for a list of conclusions. Collected data are analyzed in the context of each of the investigation questions. For example, when investigating a crash fire, one might formulate a hypothesis that each of the liquid systems disturbed in the crash was a potential source for the initial fuel of the fire. Data are used to confirm or refute each hypothesis, when possible. When data are lacking to either confirm or refute a hypothesis, the investigator evaluates the possibility of gathering more data or conducting testing.