Curriculum Vitae
CHRIS A. VALLERGA, IAAI–CFI
Education
Napa Valley College
Associate of Science
Fire Science
Napa Valley College
Associate of Science
Wildlife Law Enforcement
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, CA
Agricultural Engineering
National Fire Academy
Emmitsburg, MD
Fire & Arson Mitigation
National Fire Academy
Emmitsburg, MD
Executive Development
California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection Academy
Ione, CA
Basic Fire Academy
California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection Academy
Ione, CA
Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Academy
Employment
Vallerga Fire Investigations
P.O. Box 1131
Condon, Montana
January 2012 – present
Konocti Unified School District
9430 Lake Street
Lower Lake, CA 95457
August 2015 – June 2017
Northshore Fire District
Battalion Chief/Investigator
Lucerne, CA (Consultant)
October 2012 – Retired January 2015
Unified Investigations and Sciences, Inc.
Special Investigator
Sacramento, CA
August 2009 – January 2012
Napa County Office of Education
ROP Fire Science Instructor
Napa, CA
August 2010 – September 2011
EFI Global
Rocklin, CA
Investigator
July 2008 – August 2009
California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection
St. Helena, CA
Fire Captain
June 1973 to November 1977 and
November 1988 – March 2008
California State Fire Marshal’s Office
Deputy State Fire Marshal II
July 1986 – October 1988
American Canyon Fire Protection District
American Canyon, CA
Fire Chief
June 1981 to July 1986
Self Employed, California Agriculture
Napa, CA
August 1979 – August 1981
American Canyon Fire Protection District
American Canyon, CA
Engineer
February 1977 – 1979
Military Experience
United States Navy
Selected Reserve
Petty Officer 2nd Class (E5)
Navy & Marine Corps Construction Battalion–II (SeaBees)
Training
- Pile burning and slash removal, Flathead Valley College, February 2023
- Forest Practices, Flathead Vally College
- Wildland Fire, California Conference of Arson Investigators, September 2019
- IAAI International Training Conference, Frisco, TX 2018
- Wildland Fire Litigation Conference, San Diego, CA May 2018
- Serial Arson Detection, Reno, NV January 2017
- Wildland Fire Litigation Conference, Ken Roye, Monterey, CA May 2015
- Serial Wildland Arson Seminar, Reno, NV, 24-hours, February 2015
- Wildland Fire Investigation, California Conference of Arson Investigators, 20-hours, November 2014
- Wildland Fire Litigation Conference, FI-210 Bridge, Monterey, CA, April 2014
- NFPA 921 & NFPA 1033 Update, California Conference of Arson Investigators, 20-hours, March 2014
- Serial Arson Seminar, Las Vegas, NV May 2013
- Wildland Fire Litigation Conference, Ken Roye, Monterey, CA April 2013
- Fire Investigation, California Conference of Arson Investigators 20-hours, March 2013
- Serial Arson Case Study, California Conference of Arson Investigators 20-hours, November 2012
- Wildland Fire Litigation Conference, Ken Roye, Sacramento, CA 10-hours, April 2012
- Forensic Fire Reconstruction, Dr. John DeHaan, Dr. David Icove & Steve Carman, California Conference of Arson Investigators, 20 hours March 2012
- Fire Investigation, California Conference of Arson Investigators, 20 hours March 2011
- Vehicle Fire Investigation, California Conference of Arson Investigators, 20 hours March 2010
- Legal Research and Writing, Empire Law School, Cathern Kohlert, 30 hours, March 2009
- Electrical Caused Fires, California Conference of Arson Investigators, 20 hours, November 2009
- Fire/Arson Investigation, California Conference of Arson Investigators, 20 hours March 2009
- Fire/Arson Investigation, California Conference of Arson Investigators, November 2008
- Forensic Fire and Arson Investigation, University of California, Davis by Dr. John DeHaan, 30 hours, June 2008
- Fire Death Investigation, California Conference of Arson Investigators, by Dr. John DeHaan, 16 hours, March 2008
- Forensic Reconstruction, International Association of Arson Investigators, by Dr. John DeHaan & David Icove, 16 hours, December 2007
- National Wildfire Coordinating Group, FI-310, Fire Case Management, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection/United States Forest Service, 40 hours, November 2006
- Fire Investigation, California Conference of Arson Investigators, 20 hours, February 2006
- Incident Command System S-430, Operations Section Chief, Cal- Fire Academy, 40 hours, January 2006
- National Wildfire Coordinating Group, FI-210, Wildland Fire Investigation, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection/United States Forest Service, 40 hours, May 2005
- National Fire Protection Association 921, California Conference of Arson Investigators, 20 hours, March 2005
- Fire Death Investigation, California Conference of Arson Investigators, by Jim Allen, 8 hours, December 2004
- Surveillance Operations, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Academy, 36 hours, May 2004
- Interview and Interrogation, John Reid and Associates, 36 hours, February 2004
- Incident Command System S-348 Resource Unit Leader/S-347 Demobilization Unit Leader, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 40 hours, February 2002
- Incident Command System S-270, Basic Air Operations, National Wildfire Coordinating Group, 24 hours, February 2000
- Strike Team Leader, Engines, Crews & Dozers, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 40 hours, January 1991
- Human Relations, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 24 hours, March 1990
- Basic Crew Captain, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 24 hours, January 1990
- Basic Fire Control, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 320 hours, April 1989
- Naval Education Training 10255 & Naval Education Training 10256, U.S. Navy, 120-hours, November 1987
- Life Safety Code, Health and Human Services, Baltimore, Md., 40 hours, May 1987
- Fire Safety Evaluation System, Health and Human Services, San Francisco, CA, 24 hours, January 1987
- 832 Penal Code, Napa Valley College, 40 hours, April 1986
- Fire Executive Development III, National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, MD, 80 hours, March 1986
- Fire Investigation 1A, 1B, 2A & 2B California Fire Service Training and Education System, 160 hours, March 1985-March 2006
- Fire/Arson Mitigation, National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, MD., 80 hours, December 1984
- Fire Investigation, University of California, Davis, 16 hours, November 1983
- Incident Management I, II, & III, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection,160 hours, December 1982-April 1990-December 2001
- Incident Command System 100, 200, & 300, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 50 hours, December 1982 & October 1999
- Title 19 & Title 24, California State Fire Marshal’s Office, 46 hours, September 1982 and December 1982
- Fireground Management, California Fire Chief’s Association, 16 hours, April 1982
- Intermediate Fire Behavior, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 32 hours, February 1981
Experience
- Over 50 years as a firefighter, investigator, and peace officer
- Personally investigating over 2000 fires. Lead Investigator on several major cases.
- Over 20 years as an instructor.
- Was assigned to Konocti Conservation Camp, Boggs Mountain HeliTack Base and Clearlake Oaks Forest Fire Station.
- Represented the State of California on major fire incidents in Idaho, Nevada and Oregon.
- Member of CalFire Arson Investigation Unit (AIU).
- Instructor Cadre, Surveillance Operations, CDF Academy, Ione, CA
- Senior Investigator, Lake County Arson Task Force, Lake County, CA
Professional Organizations
International Association of Arson Investigators
California Conference of Arson Investigators, Coordinator, Legislative Liaison
International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1281 (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Firefighters)
California State Firefighters Association
Certificates
Intermediate Peace Officers Standards and Training (pending issuance)
National Board of Fire Service Professionals, Fire Investigator #262918
Certified Fire Investigator, International Association of Arson Investigators #22132
Private Investigator, California License #PI 25719
Certified Fire Investigator, California Conference of Arson Investigators, #604
Master-Certified Fire Investigator, CCAI # 114
Behavioral Analysis Training Institute, Interview & Interrogation, #13847
Certified Fire Officer, State Board of Fire Services, #017008
Basic Peace Officers Standards and Training, #B121893
Fire Officer, State Board of Fire Services, #017088
Community College Teaching Credential, #268224
Certified Fire Investigator I, State Board of Fire Services #880516
Firefighter I, State Board of Fire Services, #00467
Court Qualifications
Expert witness testimony, as an origin and cause specialist in the following courts:
- Superior Court of San Francisco County (Civil)
- Superior Court of Napa County (Criminal & Civil)
- Superior Court of Solano County (Civil)
- Superior Court of Lake County (Criminal)
- Superior Court of Yolo County (Criminal)
- Superior Court of Sonoma County (Civil)
- Superior Court of Yuba County (Civil)
- Superior Court of Marin County (Civil)
- Grand Jury of Yolo County (Criminal–Eason v. California)
Bibliographic References
Torchered Minds, Edward Norskog, 2011
Fireraisers, Freaks and Fiends, Edward Norskog, 2013
The Arsonist Profiles, Edward Norskog, 2016
Awards
Superior Accomplishment Award, 2001, California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection