Which of the following factors is considered in the exterior examination of a fire scene?

In the context of an exterior examination of a fire scene, analyzing fire and ventilation patterns is crucial. Understanding how the fire behaved and the patterns it created provides significant insights into the fire's origin, cause, and progression. This includes examining burn patterns on surfaces, smoke movement, and signs of ventilation openings. Such observations help investigators determine how the fire spread and what factors may have influenced its behavior.

The other options, although relevant in certain contexts, do not directly pertain to the immediate observational analysis conducted during an exterior examination. Weather reports can influence ongoing investigations but do not provide direct visual evidence at the scene. Laboratory results are typically obtained later, during the analysis phase, and thus are not part of the initial exterior examination. The time of day might be relevant to understanding visibility conditions or human activities, but it does not convey the fire's behavior or characteristics as directly as assessing fire and ventilation patterns does.