Arsonists ‘risking lives’ during total fire ban

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Arsonists ‘risking lives’ during total fire ban

ABCJanuary 11, 2013, 8:42 am

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Arsonists have lit more bushfires overnight in Sydney’s west, ignoring warnings from police and firefighters that they could face serious jail time.

A state-wide total fire ban is in force, with all forms of burning fuel banned as temperatures rise again.

All walking, cycling and horse riding tracks in National Parks are also closed from today until Monday.

Despite the warnings, nine fires were started in bushland on Victoria Street at Macquarie Fields last night, just across from dozens of homes were people were sleeping.

The fires were quickly put out and police say two 16-year-olds arrested at the scene have been charged with breaching bail conditions.

Inspector Mark Kellet says police need witnesses to come forward.

“There were people out and about so if anyone saw anything whatsoever, even anything so minute – might be something they might have been riding, or clothing descriptions anything like that, or even if they knew the people – cause what they’ve done is that they’ve threatened property and life,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the state’s north, a landholder at Attunga, near Tamworth, has been fined $2,200 for lighting fires to clear rubbish during a total fire ban.

Firefighters were called to the property on Tuesday night to extinguish three small blazes.

Inspector Steve Prior, from the Tamworth RFS says the 37-year-old’s behaviour was completely irresponsible.

“Given the prevailing conditions that were forecast for the following day, which was a further Total Fire Ban, we needed to remove any risk of any potential ignition source spreading from any property,” he said.

“The police have certainly taken that on board and they have demonstrated in this particular instance, as they have across the rest of the state, that they are very serious about it.”

Elsewhere in the state, a police taskforce is still working to find the cause of a suspicious fire at Lithgow, west of the blue mountains on Wednesday.

Police also want to talk to a tow truck driver who told firefighters he has video of people starting fires at Windsor Road in Sydney’s north-west.

A landowner in Middle Dural has been fined for burning logs on a total fire ban day, and a 76-year-old Mudgee man allegedly sparked a fire which burnt 140 hectares by using an angle grinder on his front porch.
Three teenagers have also faced court over a deliberately lit bushfire at Shalvey in Sydney’s west which burned hectares on Tuesday before being controlled.

ABCJanuary 11, 2013, 8:42 am

tweet

Email
Print

Arsonists have lit more bushfires overnight in Sydney’s west, ignoring warnings from police and firefighters that they could face serious jail time.

A state-wide total fire ban is in force, with all forms of burning fuel banned as temperatures rise again.

All walking, cycling and horse riding tracks in National Parks are also closed from today until Monday.

Despite the warnings, nine fires were started in bushland on Victoria Street at Macquarie Fields last night, just across from dozens of homes were people were sleeping.

The fires were quickly put out and police say two 16-year-olds arrested at the scene have been charged with breaching bail conditions.

Inspector Mark Kellet says police need witnesses to come forward.

“There were people out and about so if anyone saw anything whatsoever, even anything so minute – might be something they might have been riding, or clothing descriptions anything like that, or even if they knew the people – cause what they’ve done is that they’ve threatened property and life,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the state’s north, a landholder at Attunga, near Tamworth, has been fined $2,200 for lighting fires to clear rubbish during a total fire ban.

Firefighters were called to the property on Tuesday night to extinguish three small blazes.

Inspector Steve Prior, from the Tamworth RFS says the 37-year-old’s behaviour was completely irresponsible.

“Given the prevailing conditions that were forecast for the following day, which was a further Total Fire Ban, we needed to remove any risk of any potential ignition source spreading from any property,” he said.

“The police have certainly taken that on board and they have demonstrated in this particular instance, as they have across the rest of the state, that they are very serious about it.”

Elsewhere in the state, a police taskforce is still working to find the cause of a suspicious fire at Lithgow, west of the blue mountains on Wednesday.

Police also want to talk to a tow truck driver who told firefighters he has video of people starting fires at Windsor Road in Sydney’s north-west.

A landowner in Middle Dural has been fined for burning logs on a total fire ban day, and a 76-year-old Mudgee man allegedly sparked a fire which burnt 140 hectares by using an angle grinder on his front porch.
Three teenagers have also faced court over a deliberately lit bushfire at Shalvey in Sydney’s west which burned hectares on Tuesday before being controlled.

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