Arson arrest at bushfire

Police believe three fires were lit on the walking track between Hooks and Scotchman’s Creek roads at the base of Mt Little Joe at about 12.45pm on Tuesday, 24 January.
CFA crews from Warburton, Millgrove and Wesburn and DSE crews from Powelltown were quickly on the scene with support coming in from CFA Region 13 brigades, DSE at Olinda and Melbourne Water.
Melbourne Water’s 1300 litre water-bombing helicopter was put into action to assist ground crews who were faced with steep terrain making the site difficult to access.
Three units also were on standby to protect a cluster of houses on top of Mt Little Joe on Old Warburton Road.
It took more than two hours to contain the fire which burnt out about two hectares of heavily fueled bushland.
Police from Warburton and Yarra Junction assisted with securing the area and Senior Detective Phil Russell from Lilydale Criminal Investigation Unit was called in to investigate the fire.
Police said the youth was observed at the scene of the fire on two occasions and was arrested by detectives as he left the scene for the second time.
The youth was interviewed by police and will be summonsed to appear at the Children’s Court to face charges of lighting a bushfire, conduct endangering life and other associated offences.