Top 10 Best Fire Investigation Software of 2026

CauseArson is an AI-powered fire investigation software designed specifically for fire marshals, investigators, and arson units to streamline the analysis of fire scenes. It uses advanced computer vision and machine learning to analyze photos and videos, identifying potential ignition sources, burn patterns, and accelerants with high accuracy. The platform also facilitates evidence logging, chain-of-custody tracking, and automated report generation compliant with NFPA 921 standards. Overall, it significantly reduces investigation time while improving the reliability of cause determinations.

PyroSim is a user-friendly graphical interface for NIST's Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), designed for creating detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of fire scenarios. It enables fire investigators to simulate fire growth, smoke movement, heat transfer, and suppression effects to reconstruct incidents and test hypotheses. Widely used in forensic fire analysis, it outputs visualizations compatible with Smokeview for post-processing and reporting.

Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), developed by NIST, is a free, open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software specialized in modeling fire-driven fluid flows, including heat release, smoke transport, and pyrolysis. It enables detailed simulations of fire growth, spread, and suppression in complex geometries, aiding fire investigators in reconstructing incident scenarios, identifying origins, and analyzing contributing factors like ventilation. Supported by extensive validation data from experiments, FDS is widely used in forensic fire analysis and safety engineering.

CFAST (Consolidated Model of Fire And Smoke Transport), developed by NIST, is a zone-based fire simulation software that models fire growth, smoke production, and transport in multi-compartment buildings. It predicts key fire dynamics such as upper and lower layer temperatures, smoke layer heights, visibility, and species concentrations to support fire safety analysis and reconstruction. Ideal for fire investigators, it uses physics-based equations validated against experimental data to simulate realistic fire scenarios from ignition to suppression.

FARO SCENE is a professional 3D point cloud processing software from FARO Technologies, primarily designed for handling data from FARO laser scanners to create accurate digital twins of physical environments. In fire investigations, it excels at registering multiple scans, cleaning point clouds, performing precise measurements, and generating 3D models for scene documentation and analysis. While powerful for reality capture, it lacks specialized fire pattern recognition or thermal modeling tools, making it a general-purpose tool adapted for forensic use.

Leica Cyclone is a professional-grade 3D point cloud processing software from Leica Geosystems, specialized in handling large datasets from laser scanners for precise reality capture. In fire investigations, it enables accurate registration, modeling, and analysis of fire scenes to document structural damage, debris patterns, and potential ignition points in 3D. It supports forensic measurements, clash detection, and high-fidelity visualizations suitable for expert testimony and reconstruction reports.

PhotoModeler is a professional photogrammetry software that creates accurate 3D models, point clouds, and measurements from overlapping photographs taken with standard cameras. In fire investigations, it enables precise documentation of fire scenes, damage assessment, burn pattern analysis, and reconstruction of structures for evidentiary purposes. It supports close-range and oblique imagery common at incident sites, exporting data to CAD formats for forensic reporting.

Bluebeam Revu is a robust PDF creation, editing, and markup software tailored for technical industries like architecture and construction, but it can support fire investigations through advanced annotation of floor plans, diagrams, photos, and reports. Key capabilities include precise measurements, quantity takeoffs for damage assessment, OCR for scanned documents, and real-time collaboration via Studio panels. While versatile for document-heavy workflows, it lacks native fire-specific tools like origin-cause analysis or 3D scene reconstruction.

ArcGIS, from Esri, is a leading geographic information system (GIS) platform that supports fire investigations through advanced mapping, spatial analysis, and visualization of fire scenes, burn patterns, and environmental data. It integrates satellite imagery, LiDAR, and weather data to model fire behavior and reconstruct incidents, enabling investigators to overlay evidence, calculate burn severity, and perform geospatial queries. While primarily a general-purpose GIS tool, it offers extensions and apps tailored for public safety and emergency response, making it adaptable for forensic fire analysis.

SketchUp is a general-purpose 3D modeling software that enables users to create detailed 3D models of buildings, scenes, and objects from sketches or photos. In fire investigation, it can be adapted to reconstruct fire scenes, visualize structural damage, and model burn patterns for forensic analysis and courtroom presentations. While versatile, it lacks specialized fire investigation tools like automated burn pattern analysis or integrated evidence logging.