More than 100 firefighters are convicted of arson every year, but a lack of documentation makes it hard to track, according to arson expert Edward Nordskog. In light of volunteer firefighter Lawson Schalm facing charges of 18 counts of arson, the persisting problem of firefighter arson has garnered international attention. Nordskog explained that firefighter arson is difficult to track because authorities don't differentiate firefighters from other arsonists when keeping records, and sometimes documents are not kept at all.

He noted that firefighter arson has been a long-standing issue, with roughly 100 firefighter arsonists convicted annually in North America, all of whom are serial arsonists committing three or more fires. Nordskog described typical firefighter arsonists as young males who recently joined the fire service, often becoming bored, seeking recognition, and struggling with anger or frustration. They may feel pressure to live up to family war stories or seek excitement due to reduced fire incidents from advances in fire safety and construction materials. "It's not uncommon for a firefighter to not see a fire for months at a time, and boredom sets in," Nordskog said.