Alleged firebug Matthew Raymond Starr on bail, charged over eight ‘deliberately lit’ fires in February 2023

The Virginia father of three faces accusations he lit a series of fires across Adelaide’s north on a scorching hot day.

Mathew Raymond Starr, of Virginia, has been charged with nine counts of intentionally starting a bush fire. Picture: Leah Smith

A father of three charged over a string of “deliberately lit” fires on an extremely hot day won’t be made to obey strict home detention conditions throughout the hotter months, despite concerns he might light more bushfires, a court has heard.

On Thursday, alleged firebug Matthew Raymond Starr, 43, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with nine counts of intentionally causing a bushfire.

Police allege that on February 24, 2023, Mr Starr set out to intentionally start nine fires within 20km of his Virginia home.

According to reports of the fires, eight individual blazes were lit between 2pm and 7pm that day, in suburbs including Two Wells, Dublin, Korunye, Reeves Plains and Lower Light.

CFS crews were able to extinguish the blazes with minimal damage, but at the time, SA Police said the risk to surrounding communities was significant due to the weather conditions on the day, with temperatures in their high 30s across the metro areas.

During investigations following the fires, SA Police said they were investigating at least eight fires lit on that same day.

Mr Starr first appeared in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court following his arrest on February 8 this year where he was granted bail.

In court on Thursday, police prosecutors sought to tighten Mr Starr’s bail conditions, asking Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal to impose home detention bail instead.

However, Ms Hribal said she wasn’t concerned about Mr Starr being out in the community during the “cooler months”.

“We’re close to the end of the bushfire season now, and it would be unusual to make some kind of home detention bail that only applies to certain months,” Ms Hribal said.

“It would really be a matter for prosecution that, come November, to consider whether home detention monitored bail is more appropriate.

Prosecutors argued that recent weather conditions showed the potential for hot days to continue past the designated fire danger season.

One of eight suspicious fire sites in Two Wells, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Picture: Matt Loxton

“I’m aware that the last few weeks have had intensely hot conditions, and we haven’t received sufficient cooling in conditions for there not to be a risk,” the prosecutor said.

Counsel for Mr Starr said that home detention would not be adequate for her client because he has work that requires he travel.

She said charges are contested, and Mr Starr has no prior criminal history.

“He owns his family home in Virginia and has done for 14 years. He has a stable and supportive wife and three young children all under the age of 12, and is the sole provider for his family,” she said.

“He is the sole director of a roofing company, and he is required to personally attend from 5 to 10 work locations on any one day, either to oversee work being undertaken or to perform work, or to supervise.”

She said Mr Starr was often required to work on roofs of two or three storey buildings, and an electronic monitoring device could become an occupational health and safety issue.

Ms Hribal dismissed the application, but said prosecutors could apply again later in the year.

“I’m not going to order he be placed on home detention bail at this time, noting there have been no breaches to date,” she said.

Mr Starr will return to court in May.