Man charged with lighting fires

Albany detectives have charged a 40-year-old Albany man with lighting three separate bushfires within six days, which threatened lives and homes in Narrikup last month.

Firefighters battled two blazes, deliberately lit within an hour of each other, along Settlement Road on January 16.

Police allege the man helped authorities extinguish the blaze before lighting the second fire only 7km away.

Both blazes spread to nearby farmland before being controlled.

The third fire, lit only six days later on January 22, required significant emergency response resources including firefighting aircraft, 20 units and 60 volunteers.

The fire was brought under control several days later and burned 40 hectares after being lit into a strong breeze, threatening buildings, machinery and livestock on the Settlement Road property.

Detective Senior Sergeant Tom Doyle said police would allege the man lit the blazes with matches.

The man, who is understood to have previously been a volunteer firefighter, was interviewed by police last Friday and charged with three counts of wilfully lighting a fire likely to injure or damage.

He will appear in court on February 20.

Police also arrested and charged another firebug on Tuesday after apprehending two juveniles at the scene of a deliberately lit fire on Cockburn Road, Albany.

Members of the public reported to police that two young men were acting suspiciously on Cockburn Road about 9am on Tuesday before running from the scene of a small grass fire.

Officers apprehended two youths aged 14 and 15 years a short time later who were allegedly witnessed flicking matches.

The 15-year-old juvenile from Yakamia was charged with wilfully lighting a fire likely to endanger life or damage property.

He was due to appear in Albany Children’s Court on Wednesday.

Police urge residents to report suspicious acts in bushland areas by calling 131 444.