South Australian police to target young firebugs

POLICE are switching fire prevention strategies to deal with a worrying rise in juvenile arson attacks

CHILDREN and teenage arsonists are deliberately lighting more fires than any other demographic in the community, prompting police to change its tactic on fire prevention.

Between November 1, 2013 and April 30, this year, 15 youths — or 60 per cent of those detained for Operation Nomad related incidents — were aged 12 to 17 years.

All youths faced the Juvenile Justice System.

The outbreak of juvenile firebugs caused the Operation Nomad bushfire prevention team to refocus its education program towards youngsters, including holding 47 arson prevention presentation presentations at the state’s schools, councils and community groups.

The high proportion of youth firebugs comes as an Adelaide forensic psychologist warns that an arsonist’s infatuation with fire often begins during childhood, and that they are spurred by a rush of power they feel when lighting a fire.

It also comes as the state faces a heightened fire risk this summer. The Country Fire Service has warned that parts of the state are facing levels of dryness not normally seen until February.

Assistant Commissioner Bryan Fahy said police identified the upward trend of young fire lighters early last year and were able to intervene.

“If we’re finding that 60 per cent of our fire lighters are juveniles and yet our program of prevention is aimed at adults, we’re clearly missing the mark,’’ he said.

“People will experiment, particularly kids, not realising the implications of their behaviour if something goes wrong.

“There will be some who experiment not wanting things to go wrong but they will go wrong.’’

SA Police have 242 “people of interest’’ on its arson watch list, up from 229 last summer.

Thirty-three are considered high risk, 53 a significant risk and 156 a possible risk of deliberately lighting a fire.

During high fire danger weather Nomad officers visit them all, sometimes several times a day, to remind them they’re being watched and to reinforce the dangers of lighting fires.

“Some are not happy about us calling but ... we know a number of the people of interest have actually been quite grateful for it,’’ Mr Fahy said. “Some actually call to say, ‘I’ve changed my behaviour, I now understand what it’s all about I now understand myself’.

“Of course, we don’t take their word for it ...’’

Research shows that many budding arsonists will experiment with small fires before graduating to lighting a major blaze.

There has been about a 25 per cent decrease in deliberate fires over the past five years in SA.

But confirmed arson is estimated to cost the country $1.6 billion annually, the Federal Attorney General’s office says.

Many destructive fires are caused by reckless acts including using farm machinery, grinders, welders, BBQs or camp fires on high risk days.

“We have a zero tolerance with breaches of fire (ban) laws, deliberate or reckless, and those people can expect to be charged,’’ Mr Fahy said.

Operation Nomad is a success and many aspects are being copied interstate or overseas but the threat of arson is constant.

“We will do our best to prevent fires but the reality is, the eyes and ears of the community is our best method of combating this problem,’’ Mr Fahy said. “If you think something is really unusual or strange, then it probably is (so) call Crimestoppers and we will look at it and we may well prevent the next arsonists from lighting a fire.’’