In fire-ravaged Australia, a teen volunteer firefighter stands accused of arson

The 19-year-old has been charged with deliberately lighting seven fires in New South Wales – the state worst-hit by a recent spate of devastating blazes

Six people have been killed, hundreds of homes destroyed and more than 1.5 million hectares scorched across Australia since early October

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A firefighter works to battle a blaze on the outskirts of Sydney earlier this month. Photo: DPA

Published: 11:26am, 27 Nov 2019Updated: 11:43am, 27 Nov 2019

Police in fire-ravaged Australia on Wednesday charged a volunteer firefighter with arson, alleging he lit seven blazes before returning to help colleagues extinguish them.

Authorities allege the 19-year-old deliberately lit seven fires on the far south coast of New South Wales – the state worst-hit by a recent spate of devastating bush fires – between mid-October and late November.

The man was spotted sitting in a vehicle on Tuesday afternoon soon before a fire broke out nearby.

“Police will allege in court that the man lit the fire and left the area before returning to respond to the fire as part of his duties as a volunteer firefighter,” police said in a statement.

An aerial view of an out-of-control bush fire burning in New South Wales on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

He was arrested soon afterwards and charged with seven counts of causing a fire and being reckless to its spread.

New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said the teenager had been immediately stood down from his firefighting duties.