Ed Nordskog

Incendiary Devices: Investigation and Analysis Ed Nordskog

Incendiary Devices: Investigation and Analysis is the first book on this subject written by an actual arson investigator and profiler with decades of experience.


Historically, there have been numerous myths and Hollywood exaggerations regarding the entire world of arson investigation. Chief among these myths is the notion that all arsonists are deeply intelligent, sinister plotters who sit around all day scheming and creating exotic incendiary devices. While there is the odd case of this exact type of offender, the bulk of the arsonists in the world are fairly mundane criminals not unlike a typical burglar.


Nordskog combined his twenty-plus years as an arson/bomb investigator in Los Angeles with an intense three year study of actual incendiary devices found at arson events. He has separated the realities of his world from the myths of Hollywood and firehouse war stories. He has compiled a list of nearly 3,500 actual devices used in true cases and has provided comprehensive analysis of each item.

Using his unique skills as a profiler of arson events, Nordskog has compared the incendiary devices in the book to the various sub-types of arson offenders. The entire purpose of this document is to use this unique information to identify, apprehend, classify and prosecute arsonists through the exploitation of their incendiary devices.


Nordskog laboriously dredged up the historical use of incendiary devices in military actions, and followed the use of those items into the murky world of anarchists, Irish terrorists, animal rights movement extremists, anti-abortion fire bombers, and modern international terrorists.


Nordskog explains the concept of learned behavior as incendiary device use expanded into the world of wild land arsonists, serial arsonists, and firefighter arsonists. He breaks down the mystery of Signature vs M. O. in device analysis and describes step by step how to exploit and analyze a device and its deployment by investigators, scientists, techs, and crime analysts.

This book is a must read for any prosecutors, profilers, investigators, and crime scene specialists operating within the world of arson and bomb investigation.


The details of this study and book have been culled from underground manuals, government documents, military manuals, and the case histories of thousands of arson attacks. The finished book was vetted and underwent technical review by several of the most experienced bomb and arson experts in the United States and the United Kingdom.