Arsonist alert

By Tania Martin
SASSAFRAS residents were on high alert on Friday as the fourth fire in a day ripped through the Dandenong Ranges National Park.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) are treating all fires as suspicious.
Shortly after 2pm on Friday fire crews were called to a fire in parkland between Ferndale Road and Mountain Highway in Sassafras.
Three other fires a few kilometres away were contained on Thursday night with only a small area burnt because of the quick response from the CFA.
The first of the fires was reported at 6.10pm on the corner of the Basin-Olinda Road, near Ferndale Road.
A second fire was reported at 8.15pm, at Telegraph Track near Mt Dandenong Tourist Road and the third fire was reported at 10pm on the topside of Mountain Highway, near Ferndale Road.
More than 100 firefighters from DSE and the CFA fought Friday’s five-hectare blaze for almost three hours before it was contained.
Three aircraft, 15 CFA tankers, eight DSE four-wheel-drive vehicles and a bulldozer were deployed to the fire.
Three CFA regions were called to the fire including Yarra Ranges, Knox and Maroondah.
DSE, fire operations officer Anthony Maxwell said as soon as he arrived on the scene he called in the air artillery to attack the blaze.
Mr Maxwell said fuel reduction burns that were undertaken in 2005 at parkland adjacent to the fire stopped it jumping containment lines and heading towards houses.
DSE Port Phillip fire manager Bernard Barbetti congratulated the firefighters on their quick and effective work.
“The quick response meant that there was no impact on private property,” he said.
Mr Barbetti said if the area hadn’t been fuel-reduced the fire would have been much larger.
DSE and Victoria Police are now investigating the fires as deliberately lit.
Mr Barbetti said it could only be assumed that a ‘highly irresponsible’ person has maliciously started one, some or all of the fires.
“We would now like people with information about how this and the other fires started to contact Crime Stoppers so that anyone responsible for these irresponsible crimes can be dealt with,” he said.
Mr Barbetti said the maximum penalty for intentionally or recklessly causing a bushfire is up to 15 years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to $200,000. Anyone who has any information about the fires is being urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.