Police warning

By Tania Martin
FIREBUGS have been warned that police, the CFA and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) are on full alert for the up-coming fire season.
They last week launched the annual covert fire patrol known as Operation Hussar.
The operation is designed to reduce the number of fires in the region by proactively patrolling high-risk areas throughout the fire season.
These targeted patrols will consist of plain-clothed police members in unmarked cars, as well as routine police activities in an effort to prevent deliberately lit fires.
Fire patrol coordinator Detective Sergeant Marty Fleming said police would be working closely with other agencies and the community to ensure a safe fire season for everyone.
“The Yarra Ranges has a great proportion of bushland areas and a number of suspicious fires have occurred in pervious years,” he said.
“Police will be liasing with the CFA, DSE and Park Victoria in order to share intelligence and allocate resources where they would have the most impact.”
Det Sgt Fleming warned firebugs that the officers involved in the operation have significant experience with fire patrolling, helping to prevent deliberately lit fires and swiftly apprehending arsonists.
“We have also undertaken detailed analysis of previous fires in the area and coupled with significant technological developments, police have strengthened its capacity to deter offenders,” he said.
Det Sgt Fleming said that in the past the majority of fires in the area during high-risk times were lit deliberately and that the operation was a concerted effort by police to stop this behaviour.
According to police fires during the 2006-07 season damaged a significant amount of bushland and also provided exposure to the risk of injury to emergency services personnel, volunteers and the community working to extinguish fires.
They are now urging people with information on suspicious activity during the 2007-08 fire season to report it to police by calling triple zero.
Parks Victoria ranger Anthony Maxwell has also highlighted the importance of the patrol operation.
Mr Maxwell said the operation would target suspicious fire related activities and aims to minimise the threat of wildfire.
Det Sgt Fleming said that deliberately lighting fires in the open during high-risk periods puts innocent people at risk.
He is calling on the community to get involved and help stop firebugs by reporting any suspicious activities immediately.
“I urge people to call triple zero to report any behaviour that requires immediate police attendance, such as when a suspect is still present in the area,” Det Sgt Fleming said.
“Crime Stoppers also provides an avenue for people to anonymously report any suspicious behaviour.
“However, this number should not be used for urgent situations.”