Police link two suspicious fires

POLICE have linked a Swan Hill man to two fires at Pental Island in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Senior Sergeant Brad Bennett told The Guardian a man in his early 20s would be interviewed, confirming the incident was being treated as suspicious.

Police and firefighters were called out at 2.15am, arriving to find two paddocks alight.

Volunteers were able to bring the fire under control, with multiple brigades responding.

Snr-Sgt Bennett said the man was apprehended shortly after the fires were reported.

Swan Hill CFA captain Dennis Turner said the fires burnt roughly two acres before they could be extinguished.

“It was a grass fire, it has jumped the road and gone into two different paddocks,” capt Turner said.

“We are treating is as suspicious, it may have been lit in two spots and police are investigating.”

Capt Turner said while no property damage had occurred, it could have been a lot worse.

“It wasn’t too active, didn’t burn a lot, didn’t spread,” he said.

“When it jumped the road, it only burnt the road side, as the area hadn’t been cropped.

“We were very, very lucky that paddock was bare or we could have been facing significant losses.”

Capt Turner said four brigades attended, with two units from Swan Hill, one from Lake Boga, two from Woorinen South and one from Beverford.

A busy morning on what turned out to be a busy weekend for volunteers.

“We’ve been very quiet up until the weekend and it’s gone ballistic, the weather is here, the wind is here,” capt Turner said.

While he said it had been suggested one of the fires was lit for personal warmth, capt Turner said police would be “fully investigating” the circumstances, with authorities taking a zero tolerance approach to reckless fire behaviour this fire danger period.

“People have to be aware that with lighting fires for personal warmth, they have to comply with rules and regulations,” capt Turner said.

“It has to be in a trench, in a clearing, you can’t just light a fire on the ground for personal warmth, there are repercussions.”