A man will face court today after being charged in relation to five suspicious bushfires in Sydney’s west.
Strike Force Myler was established to investigate a number of bushfires within the Nepean/Hawkesbury area from December 2019.
About 2.35pm on Tuesday 3 December 2019, emergency services were called to Firetrail and Smeeton roads in Castlereagh following reports of two separate bushfires.
Numerous NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW crews responded and began to extinguish the blaze. About 3.10pm, a third bushfire was reported on Wilshire Road, Londonderry.
Police allege the man lit a further two fires at Clarendon and Richmond that night.
All fires were extinguished after several hours but not before an estimated 40ha of bushland was burnt.
Officers attached to Nepean Police Area Command attended and commenced an investigation into the cause of the fires.
Following inquiries, Nepean detectives attended a home in Richmond about 9.20am today (Friday 23 October 2020), and arrested a 39-year-old man.
He has been taken to Windsor Police Station and charged with five charges of intentionally cause fire and be reckless as to its spread.
The Richmond man has been refused bail to appear at Penrith Local Court today.
Investigations continue.
