Ulladulla fire bug on the loose

In one day alone, firefighters were called to six different locations to put out fires. 

Ulladulla Police Senior Constable Doug Nyholm said they were investigating the fires, and had identified a person of interest. 

The suspect has on two occasions been reported to have looked “suspicious” at the time and place of the fires.

The first of the recent suspicious fires was on July 28 on Coral Crescent, Ulladulla. 

“On that day, a witness saw a person on a push bike leaving a site where the fire looks to have originated,” Mr Nyholm said. 

“Police has followed that up, and ignition points were located, but it wasn’t conclusive enough to proceed further. However, it gave us a lot of information on who we should be looking at.”

Since then, a series of fires have been lit; the most recent in the early hours of Wednesday, August 29.

Fire and Rescue NSW, along with Rural Fire Service volunteers, have responded to each of them.

“On August 24, there was a series of fires lit from Pitman Avenue, to Dowling Street in the South Pacific Heathland Reserve, in the Parson Street area, in Deering Street and then behind lighthouse ovals,” Mr Nyholm said. 

“There was about five or six fires lit. Why on that morning, we don’t know. It was prior to 5am and it was raining, and again a person on a bush bike was reported to be in the area. 

“This was only three or four days after they stopped mopping up at the Kingiman fireground.”

Mr Nyholm said the heathland reserve had “a lot of fuel” for a fire. 

“There is a lot of undergrowth, and a lot of fuel in there. It is quite frightening,” he said. 

“It is a protected area, there is nothing like that up and down the coast and it is tended to by volunteers.”

Anyone with information on the fires is urged to contact to Police through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

“We want anyone out walking early in the morning who sees anything suspicious, or anyone acting bizarrely to report it,” Mr Nyholm said. 

“The littlest bit of information is helpful.”

Each time a fire is lit, more than 30 people respond to put it out and investigate its cause.

“They are volunteer or are retained firefighters,” Mr Nyholm said. 

“They have their lives. They aren’t just sitting around waiting for a fire. This is interrupting day-to-day services they provide, and also putting them in danger. 

“They have been through a horrific thing at Kingiman, and now they are dealing with this.”