Fires under investigation
Published Date: 14 Jan 2013
Summary
The Young Witness
TWO FIRES that broke out on the outskirts of town last Thursday night are now the focus of a police investigation.
On very little sleep after their return from helping fight fires near Yass, local firefighters were called out to two grassfires in Young only three hours apart.?While they were loathe to label them as suspicious, a group captain who attended one of the blazes was not so reticent.
At 10pm on Thursday a large contingent of Rural Fire Service and NSW Fire and Rescue firefighters arrived in Commons Road to find a blaze burning on both sides of the road.
Up to four RFS units from Young, Boara and Maimuru as well as two Young NSW Fire and Rescue tankers and one police vehicle attended the fire that was threatening nearby orchards and paddocks.
The blaze consumed 100 square metres of scrub.
"The fire didn't spread very far or very fast due to the fact of the time of night and that there was no wind," RFS group captain Keith Butt said.
"The fire may have jumped across the road but we don't know," he said.
"The cause of the fire is unknown but we are treating it as suspicious," Mr Butt said.
Although the fire occurred on Thursday night - which was relatively cool and calm, severe fire danger warnings, a high fire index and a total fire ban in NSW were in place for Friday.
Mr Butt said the volunteers had just come back from fighting a fire that was 16,000 hectares in size.
"Our local brigades are organising who they've got available and who's on standby so they are ready to respond – that way we're able to get onto the fire before it gets too large," he said.
Three hours later four brigades from Young, Boara, Maimuru and Monteagle were called to a second smaller grassfire in Scenic Road at 1am.
NSW RFS South West Slopes manager Andrew Dillon and Acting Inspector Chris McKinnon both said the RFS and Young Police were working together to investigate the two fires.
"Detectives are investigating the fires in conjunction with the RFS in an effort to determine whether the fires are suspicious or not," Acting Inspector McKinnon said.
"If the public has any information or can assist in any way, please call the Young Police (6382 8199)," Acting Inspector McKinnon said.He said they were making a number of enquiries to determine the cause.
Members of the public are also asked to be vigilant and to report any suspicious behaviour to authorities as soon as possible.
