Man, 59, charged with deliberately lighting two fires which came close to homes, park in Bluff Point

Police have charged a 59-year-old man after two fires alleged to have been deliberately lit in Bluff Point earlier this week threatened lives and homes. Police allege following an unknown incident, a 59-year-old man was walking along Charles Street when he lit a fire behind a house about 5.45pm on Monday, April 8. He continued walking towards Crowtherton Street in Bluff Point when he allegedly lit a second fire. People around at the time of the first blaze extinguished the fire, according to police. The second blaze spread across to bushland next to Crowtherton Street in Bluff Point. Logs were still seen smouldering on Thursday morning. Sen. Sgt Russell Hurst said the area was regularly used for walking and it quickly became a dangerous situation. “Thankfully there was no loss to any human life, although very dangerous,” Sen. Sgt Hurst said. “The fires were definitely deliberately lit and certainly caused concern to nearby residents and members of the public, taking into account school holidays, there was a park just across the road ... and a lot of residential housing.” With the help of witnesses who saw the incident take place and CCTV in the area, police identified a suspect and he was arrested on Tuesday. A 59-year-old Spalding man was charged with two counts of deliberately lighting a fire. He is due in court on April 18. Department of Fire and Emergency Services acting Supt. Kieran Mussen said the fire was situated on “difficult terrain” and firefighters worked hard to extinguish the fire before it impacted homes. He said from October 1 last year, 278 bushfires were reported in the Mid West-Gascoyne district. “The season this year has been extended, the hotter and drier conditions out there are still quite susceptible to bushfire,” he said. “We do ask the community to be vigilant and alert, reporting any suspicious behaviour particularly around bushlands and parklands.” Fire crews have been kept busy this week with a number of other unrelated fires in Geraldton. A large bushfire sparked by unknown means in the Meru industrial area on Monday afternoon saw a watch and act warning issued for nearby residents. It caused Goulds Road to close for most of the afternoon as firefighters fought to contain the blaze. In another separate fire, about 4pm on Wednesday, a bushfire was sparked in bushland in Karloo adjacent to Abraham Street. It also threatened lives and homes and reached a watch and act level. Both fires are not being treated as suspicious.