Arsonists put on notice

By Tania Martin
JACQUI Bell last week recalled the nightmare of the 1997 Ferny Creek bushfires as police ramped up its ‘dob in arsonist’ campaign.
Reliving the terrifying events that stole her daughter’s life, Ms Bell said it was vital for locals to report any suspicious behaviour to prevent another devastating loss of life.
The fires, which police believe were deliberately lit, killed three people and destroyed 42 homes in January 2007.
Ms Bell’s daughter, Jennifer, 24, and her husband, Graham Lindroth, 26, were at their Seabreeze Avenue home in Ferny Creek with neighbour, Genevieve Erin, 50, when the fire ripped through the town.
All three were later found dead in the basement of the house.
Ms Bell told The Mail that Jenny and Graham were preparing to leave when confronted with a wall of flames.
“I was talking to her on the phone as they were getting ready to leave,” she said. “The fire roared up the mountain and they never had the chance to get out.”
Ms Bell said it was important for the community to be vigilant in reporting any suspicious behaviour to stop this from happening again.
“Every day we relive the horror of knowing what a horrendous death Jenny and Graham endured,” she said.
Victoria Police last week launched Operation Hussar where fire ripped through Ferny Creek almost 12 years ago.
As part of the operation, there would be increased patrols in areas of extreme fire risk such as the Dandenongs.
Now in its tenth year, Operation Hussar uses police, fire services and the community to watch out for arsonists.
Coordinator, Detective Sergeant Martin Flem-ing of Lilydale Police, said deliberately lit fires could affect entire communities. He has put arsonists on notice saying a zero tolerance will be taken.
“We will not tolerate any form of illegal fire lighting as bushfires have the potential to cause great harm – even death – within the local community,” he said.
Over the next four months undercover, mounted and motor cycle police and fire services such as the Department of Sustainability and Environment will be patrolling the high-risk areas in the region.
Det Sgt Fleming said the special task force had extensive experience in fire patrolling, helping to prevent deliberately lit fires and in apprehending arsonists.
However, he said, it wasn’t just about police patrols.
Det Sgt Fleming said the success of the operation relies largely on the community to ‘dob’ in any suspicious behaviour.
“We are urging the community to act as our extra eyes and ears,” he said.