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There is no such thing as a typical arsonist; anybody and everybody commits arson for a slew of different reasons. "It's a very odd crime that just a few people understand," says Ed Nordskog, an ex-arson investigator in the LA County Department.
Psychologists point to some common characteristics: problems communicating, impulsive behaviors, difficulty expressing emotions and an interest in fire paraphernalia. Yet motives are often multiple and can be slippery to pin down.
Since retiring, Nordskog has found his expert insight into the minds of arsonists in high demand due to a string of arrests in the wake of the deadly Los Angeles fires.
While the fires' causes are still being investigated — and experts, including Nordskog, believe arson is highly unlikely to be behind the biggest blazes — the arrests have put a spotlight on the question of why people deliberately set fires.
People are by far the biggest cause of fires and arson is a significant factor. Roughly 20% of human-caused wildland fires in the US are set deliberately.
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📸 : David McNew/Getty Images
