Charles Olsen is a Fire Investigator with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), based in Regina, Saskatchewan. In his role as a provincial fire investigator, Charles is responsible for determining the origin and cause of fires investigated on behalf of police services and provincial coroners, including suspicious and fatal fires. His responsibilities also extend to the investigation of wildland fires occurring on provincial lands and forested areas. In addition, Charles provides operational and investigative support to volunteer fire departments during large-scale incidents where local capacity, training, or resources may be exceeded.

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Charles began his fire service career with a paid-on-call fire department in Estevan, Saskatchewan. During this time, he achieved Level II Firefighter certification, Fire Inspector Level I, and Hazardous Materials Technician qualifications. He progressed into a leadership role and served as Deputy Fire Chief prior to joining the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency as a Fire Investigator.

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Since joining SPSA, Charles has completed NFPA 1033 Fire Investigator certification and has further specialized in wildland fire investigation, earning both the NWCG FI-210 Wildfire Investigation and FI-310 Wildfire Investigation and Case Development certifications. He is also an active member of the Manitoba-based Canadian Task Force 4 (CAN-TF4) Urban Search and Rescue Team.

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Charles holds multiple professional designations and maintains active membership in several investigative associations. He is a member of the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI), holding both the Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) and Certified Fire Investigation Instructor (CFII) designations. He is also a member of the Fire Investigators Association of Alberta (FIAA), Chapter 38 of the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI), where he holds the IAAI-Fire Investigation Technician (IAAI-FIT) designation. In addition, Charles is a member of the Canadian Association of Fire Investigators (CAFI), holding the CCFI-C designation.

 

Beyond his investigative work, Charles has demonstrated a strong commitment to the fire service community. He previously served as a Manitoba/Saskatchewan Director with the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation (CFFF) and volunteered in support of the annual memorial ceremony honouring Canadian firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice.