Police hunt arsonist

FIRE crews are likely to be monitoring and battling illegally lit fires for days as police track down a firebug.

Crews have been fighting a number of blazes throughout the Cairns region which have threatened life and property, but fortunately have not been destructive, due to the response of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

Hazardous conditions will prevail north of Cairns, where three fires continued to burn on Friday, after crews were called to the first about lunchtime on Wednesday.

QFES area director of rural fires Neil Parker said there were 12 illegally lit fires from Wangetti Beach to Oak Beach and on both sides of the Captain Cook Hwy.

“With gusty conditions those three fires around Trezise Rd, Mowbray, Yule Point and Wangetti will continue to burn for a number of days,” he said. “We’ve got SES mapping the fires with drones and QPS investigating.”

Mr Parker said crews also responded to a fire at Walsh’s Pyramid about 1pm on Thursday, and bush walkers in danger had to be retrieved.

“That was lit off Moss Rd, and spread into the national park and up Walsh’s Pyramid,” he said.

“The rescue helicopter was called to assist with getting four groups of bush walkers off the track, and the track is now closed.

“That fire will slowly burn for the next three of four days but it won’t be a threat. There will be a smoke issue around Gordonvale.”

Mr Parker said he knew the fires were deliberately lit because there were “new ones popping up” over two days, they were on both sides of the highway and spanned about a 20km stretch.

“We have a partial numberplate that police are now investigating; no other leads,” he said. “If anyone has information they should contact crimestoppers.”

Mr Parker labelled the acts “extremely irresponsible” – parts of the region were experiencing dry conditions and high fire danger.

“Our rural fire brigade are volunteers, they give up their own life and aren’t paid and they’ve been out there for three days,” he said. “The SES are volunteers too. The main thing is the danger it’s caused ... plus there are all the costs involved.”