Burnt black

By Casey Neill
POLICE are investigating a series of suspicious fires lit in Upwey last week, while an Upper Ferntree Gully woman counts the cost of a blaze that gutted her home.
The house in Alexandra Street, Upper Ferntree Gully, went up in flames just after 1.30pm last Wednesday (3 February).
Nine crews attended, from the Boronia, Bayswater, Ferntree Gully, Upper Ferntree Gully and Upwey brigades, and contained the fire just after 2pm.
CFA Yarra Area spokeswoman Anne Sheedy said no-one was injured and adjoining homes were not affected.
“The CFA Fire Investigation Unit was called in, as the cause of the fire was undetermined,” she said.
Tenant Kim Bosnich did not want to comment on the blaze.
The previous day (2 February) CFA crews quickly contained three small grass fires about 250 metres west of Morris Road, Upwey.
Ms Sheedy said the spot fires started beside the railway line near Royal Street just before 3.30pm.
Upper Ferntree Gully, Upwey and Belgrave crews fought the blaze. CFA Wildfire Investigation Unit members were also at the scene.
Police interviewed a 52-year-old Ferntree Gully man in relation to the fires, but released him pending further inquiries. The fires disrupted Belgrave Rail services between Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave stations for about 40 minutes, and police closed one city-bound lane of Burwood Highway.
Police appealed for anyone who noticed suspicious activity in the area to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppers.com.au.
Following this latest deliberately lit blaze in the Dandenongs, Victoria Police one year after Black Saturday urged the community to “be courageous” and call Crime Stoppers with any information about arson.
Detective Superintendent Paul Hollowood said the call was part of the new Extinguish Arson Campaign.
“We’re asking people to report any information they have – no matter how insignificant they think it might be – to help stop arsonists in their tracks,” he said.
Crime Stoppers executive director Peter Sprott said people who lived or worked in a fire-prone area could be aware of people who were often at the scene of fires or showed an intense interest in what was happening around them.
“You may be aware of a vehicle or person seen in the vicinity of a bushfire just before it started,” he said.
“If in any doubt, let us know and we will get the information to the police.”