As California faces an increase in large-scale wildfires near urban areas, Fresno State and its partners are launching a new training academy to address the challenges of identifying victims in fire disasters. The Central California Forensic Fire Death Investigation Academy will take place from April 20 to 24, 2026, in Fresno and aims to prepare professionals for work at fatal fire scenes.
Dr. Chelsey Juarez, associate professor of anthropology at Fresno State and a forensic investigator, played a key role in developing the academy after her experience responding to the Palisades Fire near Los Angeles earlier this year. Juarez worked alongside search teams seeking human remains in areas devastated by the fire, which burned over 16,000 structures across more than 23,000 acres and resulted in 12 deaths.
“Many of the volunteer searchers had never seen human remains in the field, especially in charred or burned condition,” Juarez said. “So I was able to bring specimens from our campus lab and give them a quick overview of what to look for, which isn’t easy when everything is black and covered in ash.”
The upcoming five-day academy is a collaborative effort between Fresno State, Fresno City College, and the Fresno Fire Department. It will include two days of lectures and three days of hands-on training at the Fresno City College First Responders Campus. The program is open to forensic scientists as well as police officers, firefighters, coroners, medical doctors, death investigators, district attorney staff, and university students interested in related fields.
Sessions will cover wildfire science and progression, search and recovery techniques for human remains, disaster scene data processing, professional best practices, and incident command system coordination.
“We wanted the sessions to be a balanced mix of cutting-edge training and research to be mutually beneficial to professions that have different backgrounds,” Juarez said. “The first responders will get hands-on training and learn why research is important, our methods, and the type of data we’re trying to gather. Researchers can also get basic experience on how to properly navigate these dangerous types of environments.”
Fresno State construction management students will build demonstration structures for incineration during training exercises under faculty supervision. These activities allow faculty to test fireproof building materials with the goal of improving fire-resistant construction practices.
Bones from donated human remains used during training will remain with the Fresno State forensic anthropology lab. This initiative will create what organizers say is the nation’s first research-focused collection of thermally-altered skeletal remains with donor consent.
Other instructors at the academy include Dr. Alison Galloway and Dr. Elayne Pope (forensic anthropologists), Jay Tracy (Fresno Fire Department Deputy Fire Marshal), Scott Kuhlman (Orange County Fire Captain), Ryan Leonardo (Tulare Fire Marshal), and Andrea Stanley (Ventura County Fire Investigator).
The academy costs $1,400 per participant; space is limited to 50 professionals and up to 10 university students.
Juarez noted that she has already received applications from other states and internationally: “We’re fortunate to have access to people with great expertise and a new facility that can host both classes and fire crime scene demonstrations,” she said. “Seeing what happened near Los Angeles and other places around California emphasizes the need for more trained responders.”
Juarez brings years of experience working with law enforcement agencies on disaster response efforts throughout California. She directs the Central California Missing and Unidentified Deceased Persons Cold Case Initiative funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Reflecting on her experiences at recent fires including those near Altadena (Eaton Fire) and Lake Isabella (Borel Fire), as well as her first major deployment during the Creek Fire five years ago—which destroyed nearly 380,000 acres—Juarez described both physical hardship and emotional toll involved in such work:
“Working in fire scenes all day is hard, both physically… It’s equally punishing emotionally when you see the effects on others’ lives… It’s something I wish I didn’t have to see again but… your work is being validated and utilized by other trained professionals.”
She also highlighted collaboration among local teams: “I was really proud of our Central Valley teams that showed up to help at the Palisades and Eaton fires,” she said.
International cooperation was evident as well: “I also remember working with a team of 200 trained search volunteers from Mexico who showed up at the Palisades Fire,” Juarez added. “They were ready…and saw how invested they were in helping others.”
For more information about applying for or attending the academy next spring, interested parties can contact Dr. Chelsey Juarez via email at chelseyjuarez@mail.fresnostate.edu.
