CrimeCon 2026

It started as a quiet New Year’s weekend in Los Angeles — and turned into the largest serial arson investigation ever in U.S. history.

Over just three days in 2012, an unknown firestarter ignited 52 major fires across the region — more than anyone in America had ever set in such a short period of time. Panic spread. Media pressure mounted. Political interference complicated the hunt. Investigators faced a daunting question: How do you identify one arsonist when the only witness is fire?

Former Los Angeles Arson Task Force lead investigator Det. Ed Nordskog - who was in charge of this largest ever serial arson investigation in America - takes us deep into the fire forensics that cracked the case. He led more than 400 investigators who raced against the clock, chasing over 700 tips in a high-stakes, 96-hour manhunt. You’ll learn how burn patterns, ignition sequencing, accelerant indicators, and point-of-origin analysis revealed the signature of a single offender. Det. Nordskog will break down how investigators read heat shadows, V-patterns, and ventilation clues to reconstruct each scene — and how subtle consistencies across dozens of fires exposed the arsonist’s evolving methodology.

You’ll also gain insight into how forensic evidence helped separate copycats from the true offender, link scenes across jurisdictions, and predict the suspect’s next moves — ultimately leading to his arrest -- even as he prepared to ignite 17 more fires.

If you’ve ever wondered how investigators “read” a fire scene or how science turns ashes into evidence, this exclusive look at America's largest-ever fire investigation is a session you won’t want to miss.