Fire Investigations

The Oakland Fire Department and the Fire Investigation unit are mandated by State law to investigate and determine the cause and origin of all fires that occur in the City of Oakland. The determination of fire causes helps the Fire Department prioritize prevention and public education programs and efforts. The investigation of criminal arson and subsequent arrests help to deter and eliminate a destructive criminal element in our community.
The Fire investigation unit is staffed by three 24 hour shift Investigators. Normal office hours to request information is 8 AM to 4 PM.
For fire incident reports, fill out and submit in person, by mail, or by fax. While fire incident reports are available upon request, criminal arson reports are not publicly available documents.