IAAI Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) Practice Test 2026 - Free CFI Practice Questions and Study Guide

High-Order Damage describes blast-like effects from a very rapid, energy-dense release. When energy is released in a short, intense burst, it can generate overpressure and pressure-driven damage beyond what the flame itself would cause, producing explosive-type effects. This is about the pattern of damage that results from the energy release, not just how much energy is released overall. In contrast, hot surfaces point to a possible ignition source, a header is unrelated to this concept, and heat release rate is a measurement of energy released per unit time rather than a description of the damage pattern.