Man arrested over Edwardstown fires, South Australia

A man was arrested for allegedly lighting fires at Edwardstown overnight.

Police and MFS crews responded to reports of a grass fire at the intersection of South Road and King Street, Edwardstown just before 5am on Wednesday 16 January.

A second fire was also discovered along the railway line fence near Railway Terrace, about 100 metres south of Cross Road.

The patrol was able to stamp out a third fire near the intersection of Railway Terrace and St Lawrence Avenue, near the bike path, with their boots.

The fires caused damage to a For Sale sign and vegetation, but, fortunately, were able to be quickly extinguished.

Police searched the area and located a suspect nearby. The 19-year-old Edwardstown man was arrested and charged with property damage and lighting a fire on a total fire ban day. He was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court at a later date.

Crime scene investigators will attend and examine all the fire scenes this morning.

With the hot weather continuing today, police are reminding members of the public of the dangers of bushfires and ask them to be vigilant.

Police patrols, as a part of Operation Nomad, will target bushfire prone areas throughout the state. Anyone who sees suspicious activity in fire danger areas is asked to call the police attendance line on 131 444.

/Public Release. View in full here.