That is very strange. Almost dismiss worthy. There are pages and pages of transcripts of the investigation and I do not believe evidence of a fire/excessive smoke would be something that would be off handedly noticed a month later when the tent had been moved. It would be apparent immediately. Smoke and fire always is - especially during extensive criminal investigations (which is what this actually was). The communist party would have loved to label it as that too.
I would chalk that up to dodgy shit. Similar to the knives. The actual investigation and reporting said all knives were accounted for and in the tent. When this became problematic during the criminal investigation (due to evidence of slice wounds and cut tree branches), Ivanov off handedly said a knife was found in the den by the bodies there. However, during the discovery of the bodies in the den every single item was itemized and accounted for and guess what... no knife. There is lots of retrospective details added with no proof. It isn't right.
My theory? Well, here are some details I can not get past:
Contrary to popular belief, there are tremendous amounts of defensive injuries on the bodies. Svetlana Oss (whilst I do not agree with 80% of her writing), brilliantly sums up with the help of a modern coroner just how mant defensive wounds there actually were. It is a long list that cannot be explained away by crawling or running through snowy woods. Dyatlov has defensive slice wounds, he and Slobodan have significant strike damage to their hands, Zina has a large baton wound across her stomach and Brignolles' head damage could certainly have occurred from a weapon. The flail chest and the shattered ribs are harder to explain, but someone repeatedly stamping on a body could do it. The police knew this and thats why they arrested the Mansi.
The cameras. Too many coincidences. The group were photographing something. Semyon even had a camera on his person.
Clothing and footwear being readily accessible and on hand, but being discarded and then marching slowly, single file, down a hill. This highly suggests foul play. The police thought so too but they dropped the theory due to footprint evidence .
The theory that ticks all the boxes is foul play. The only box it doesn't tick is the footprints but the footprints subject is a complicated one. I cannot tell you who did it or why they did it. But in my heart of hearts I think these young men and women were murdered.